


Origins

by LohKnomona



Series: Duality [2]
Category: Winx Club
Genre: Action/Adventure, Eventual Romance, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-22
Updated: 2020-03-21
Packaged: 2020-07-11 10:37:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 74,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19926718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LohKnomona/pseuds/LohKnomona
Summary: They all survived to their first battle, and came home victorious. But as Fate would have it, the six girls and their friends have to get ready to fight another enemy, with the help of a new friend. It will be much appreciated, when every person they're supposed to trust somehow turn against them.





	1. Holidays

**Author's Note:**

> Holà people !  
> Did you know the Winx started earning Charmix only by episode 21 ? And the season ends at episode 26 ? I always thought it was a weird thing, but now more than ever… Like, why include it so late ?  
> And let's not talk about season 8 Enchantix.  
> Also, characters are going to be a bit OOC from now on. Not too much, of course, but because the story changed (and I already have some changes in mind), they cannot stay like they are canon. I also will be diving a little bit more into each character, because it’s season 2, and it’s the season where we learn a lot about our protagonists.  
> But there will be no bashing, that I can promise. Yes I will point out Faragonda’s strange decisions, but this time I’m not making her a villain. She is as she is in the show, which is an old and unperfect woman (who’s kinda used by the plot to make the heroines get into danger).  
> There is no real chronological order in this chapter, so don’t worry if it sometimes seems weird and you feel like the timeline isn’t really good.  
> Enjoy !

She bowed, trying to contain the sneer that wished to appear on her face, and turned around before her father could say anything. Her mom called out her name, but she never looked back. She couldn’t accept the situation, and once again she thought about telling everyone that Bloom was responsible for freeing the wizard.

It had seemed like a very natural thing to do, when she saw the two of them besides the witch’s body, talking calmly. He had a smile on his face, and Bloom was just catching her breath, not worried for one bit at the presence of the criminal in front of her.

If she hadn’t seen the red head transform, she would’ve probably never even imagined she could be the one responsible for all of Andros’ troubles. But when she saw the blue attire she wore as she took on her fairy form, and the way her red hair was styled, it became obvious.

She looked at the other Winx, and realized they were all dressed in colors she’d seen that day, in the lair of Valtor, as she and her army interrupted whatever went on there. For a long time, it had been a mystery as to who he met, and why. No known criminal fitted their description.

She decided to fight off the Trix first, and watched with anger as Bloom got out of her sight, while she was stuck to deal with the sisters. But once it was done, she immediately flew towards the lake, just in time to see Bloom fire one last time and render Icy unconscious.

She gritted her teeth.

Even though it had angered her, she understood that nothing would come out of denouncing Bloom. They couldn’t charge her with anything, as she only freed the wizard to survive. Magix wouldn’t sentence her to anything, and she would just become the target of hatred.

Layla wouldn’t do that. She was angry, but she wanted the situation to be solved. Now that she knew Bloom had contact with Valtor and he seemed to trust her, she would use it to get rid of him. For now, they were too weak to face him anyway, but as soon as she got stronger, she would show him just how wrong he was for attacking her Kingdom.

Looking out on the sea, she sighed, letting the tears she held back during the meeting roll down her cheeks.

What once was a beautiful ocean, was only polluted water now. No one would want to dive into it.

Andros had always been marvelous, and its big ocean had so many tales to tell. Usually, during summer holidays, she would be seeing a lot of people, as they tried to dive deep enough to uncover a treasure.

But no one approached it anymore, fearing for their life.

Layla only walked close enough to the water to kneel in front it, and only touched it with the tips of her fingers.

It was calm, so she was completely taken by surprise when a mermaid suddenly jumped out of the water, and caught her by her wrist before pulling her into the sea with her.

She didn’t have time to fight, and only transformed at the last second, before seeing all the other mermaids moving towards her.

With sadness in her heart, she fired at them to try to get free, but it didn’t work at all. There were too many this time, and she couldn’t call for help. Everyone thought the palace was safe, yet here she was.

She could see her bedroom’s window from where was.

A mermaid passed in front of her, blocking the view, and prepared herself to attack, when suddenly, she screamed and bent backwards.

Layla wasted no time swimming towards the surface, and flying into the air before looking back down.

For a moment, everything was calm again, and she frowned. When suddenly, all the mermaids that attacked her before pulled their faces out of the water, smiled, and screamed in victory, pulling each other into a hug.

They were all back to normal, and the Princess stayed frozen in the air, as the guards rushed to see what the commotion was all about. They eventually sent one of them as a messenger to report to the King and Queen what just happened.

Less than a week later, it was confirmed that Valtor’s influence had completely disappeared, and the water turned back to blue a few days later.

Layla was smiling from her window, ready to dive into the water, before a servant knocked on her door, and gave her an envelope.

The Princess laughed, recognizing the bright colors.

She just received her first personal invitation to the Pixie’s village.

* * *

Linphea was always sunny, and the breeze cool with a floral scent.

Today was no exception, and the girl laughed as she saw her little sister running around in the grass, testing some of her early magical abilities under the careful eyes of her parents. They were both bathing in the sunlight, a cocktail next to them.

But there were no smiles on their faces. Flora could clearly see their frowns, although they tried to hide it. Their eyes were never off their youngest, who pretended that a rock was Stormy, as she attacked it with all her might.

Her mother eventually stood up, and took her daughter by the arm. Miele tried to fight back, thinking it was a game, and sent a cool breeze of magic towards her mother. Flora laughed, as only her little sister would think this was a good defensive spell.

But her mother's reaction was instantaneous, and the noise silenced the forest around them. She felt the nature grow sadder in an instant, and Miele still had her face turned to the side, an angry red mark appearing on her cheek.

‘It’s all your fault,’ she heard being said next to her.

She jumped, and turned around to see her father looking at the scene with sadness in his eyes, before retreating back inside the house. Flora turned her eyes back to her little sister, and saw her mother talking angrily at her.

It took no more than two seconds for her to make up her mind, then making her way towards them. On her path, the grass and plants made way for her, and she eventually reached her mother, who did not even see her coming.

But Miele did, pushing her mother back to run towards her older sister. Flora did not hesitate to hug the love of her life, staring angrily at her mother, who reciprocated it. It took a lot of her might to not explode immediately, as she delicately pulled back from her sister before telling her to get back inside, smiling at her.

Once Miele was out of sight, so was her bright expression, and she turned to her mother.

‘Why did you hit her ?’

‘She used magic against me.’

‘She was playing !’

‘Playing ?’ Huffed her mother. ‘You call that playing ?’

‘I don’t see what’s wrong with her reaction ! Every kid plays with their magic !’

‘But they do not imagine themselves fighting some witches !’

Her heart missed a beat.

In this moment, she understood why she felt like her parents had become colder. It did not even surprise her, really, nor did it make her angry. Instead, she felt a wave of sadness and disappointment wash over her.

When she came home after the fight, she did not expect balloons or a party to be thrown in her name. She simply wanted to see her family, which she could’ve very well lost because of the three sisters.

But she thought they would one day mention it.

Although they never did, she decided to brush it off, thinking that it was a sensible subject. After all, their daughter could’ve died in the battle. She supposed that the stress must have been great on them. But she didn’t imagine that they actually were against her actions.

‘Is that a problem ? That Miele thinks she could actually defend herself, and even others ?’

‘Of course it is ! I don’t want both of my daughters to get killed because they thought they were some kind of heroines from a book !’

Flora willed away the tears forming at the corner of her eyes, as she tried to stand up **for** herself, for once. Just like her friends taught her. She didn’t have to be pushed around, not even by her parents. It would never happen again.

‘What do you mean by that ?’ She asked, her voice too calm for the situation.

‘I don’t want her to turn out like you.’

She brushed past her daughter, never looking back.

It took Flora a moment, as she stood staring at the empty space her mother once occupied, before she let her magic run free, soon finding herself surrounded by flowers of all types, which grew out of nowhere.

Then she turned around, flying to her room to avoid facing her parents again.

Miele was waiting for her on her bed. She looked up with puffy red eyes and an angry mark on her cheek, but a beautiful smile on her lips. Flora tried to reciprocate the feeling, but wasn’t totally there.

What her parents said hurt, and she didn’t want to fight.

But she wouldn’t let them hurt her sister either. She would grow to be an extraordinary, confident fairy, may her parents like it or not.

* * *

Musa groaned, and stood up.

‘Where are you going ? The party’s not over yet !’

‘It is for me,’ she answered as she made her way to the kitchen to take a glass of water.

‘You could’ve won,’ said the pink haired girl, putting down her joystick.

‘As if,’ laughed her friend.

They heard a ringtone, and soon, two Specialists were materialized in a corner of the room. Timmy immediately took off his shoes and went up to Tecna to greet her, while the brunette laughed as Riven tried to stay on his two feet and brush off the strange feeling of being teleported by a machine.

‘What were you girls doing ?’ Asked Timmy as he sat down where Musa was seconds ago.

‘We were playing, but Musa didn’t want me to win,’ answered Tecna with a wink towards her friend.

‘What ? That’s not true,’ she answered with a smile.

Riven finally had regained his bearings, and made his way towards the kitchen, taking the glass from Musa’s hands. She did not say anything, and laughed, realizing she reacted just like him the first time she visited Tecna’s home.

‘It’s not funny’, he mumbled, as she nodded while bursting out laughing.

The two watched with raised eyebrows as the two geniuses came to a tie, before looking at each other and nodding.

Silently, they made their way to the exit, or rather “the corner” as they liked to call it, and disappeared to the streets. They knew the two lovebirds would spend the day playing, doing research about things only they could understand, and would be perfectly happy to spend this moment, alone together.

Timmy was also a very good influence on the fairy, as he helped her voice her feelings. It was something her family had never taught her, but because she experienced it with her friends, she wanted to know more about it.

The Specialist had been pleased.

It only took a word from her to make him help her do her research, to understand how to react in front of others, or how to behave when something happened. To choose the right words in order to reassure others.

The technology fairy was amazed, and couldn’t stop herself from looking for more answers. In one of the first times of her life, she went out, trying to experience things with people.

On the other hand, Musa and Riven had decided to check out a night club, and were ready to dance and party the night away. They wouldn’t admit it to each other, but they liked to dance together. It was like being in their own bubble, and they couldn’t care less about what happened around them, or what people thought of them.

The fairy also wanted to forget her father’s words. He was so proud of his daughter, but still refused to see the talent in her. It was unnerving to have to hide herself when she sang, always having to cast a spell of silence around her room.

She didn’t dare to imagine what he would do if he ever discovered she actually wanted to become an artist. She only hoped it would be too late for him to stand in her path.

‘Are you coming ?’

She came back to reality, realizing Riven was waiting for her to get in the queue. She laughed and took him by the hand, pulling him to the entrance. The robots there watched her, nodded when she approached them, and made way for the two friends to enter. She passed the doors with a big smile on her face, while Riven was still looking behind him, unsure of what happened.

She spent the night laughing, and as planned, forgot all about her problems. She lost herself in the eyes of her crush, entertaining the idea of someday asking him out on a real date.

For now, she would simply enjoy the moment.

* * *

It was raining in Gardenia.

Bloom welcomed it, sick of the sun and the high temperature. She liked to hear it bang on her window at night, helping her drift to sleep. Her parents had also welcomed it, especially her mother who tended to her flowers all day, desperate for a little, natural rain.

Her head was pounding from everything that happened in her first year at Alfea.

When she originally went there, she believed she was dreaming, and couldn’t quite realize that it was really happening. She dreamed of being a fairy for so long while being told it was impossible so many times, that even if she succeeded in using her magic some part of her was still expecting to suddenly wake up in her bedroom, late for school.

But as days went by, she grew more confident. Until the day she transformed, and fought back the witches. This day, she realized how real everything around her was real.

She’d made real friends, and had a new life and opportunities in front of her. Everything had looked so bright, until she was sent to Omega.

After that event, she lived with a weight in her stomach, reminding her that if some people were suffering somewhere, it was her fault. She resented herself a lot, but eventually her friend’s words made her feel better. She did what she had to survive.

She thought she could live with that idea, but when Layla came into the picture, she understood she lied to herself. Every time she would look at the Princess, she would be reminded of the problems she caused.

The fact that she freed Valtor because she needed to live wasn’t enough. This wouldn’t appease Andros’ citizens, because to them, she was the reason they lost their home and possessions.

There was no way she would live freely. One day or another, her deed would be known by everybody. A secret that big couldn’t stay between the six of them. If Layla wasn’t the one telling the truth to her people, Valtor could try to blame her.

The red head turned in her chair, sighing, before screaming and almost falling off of it, under the mocking eye of some particular wizard. She put herself together quickly, and raised an eyebrow at him, trying to ignore what just happened.

He stood in front of the door, leaning against it as his eyes took in his surroundings.

‘I never had time to finish my sentence.’

‘Hello to you too,’ she answered as she tilted her head, trying to figure out what he was talking about.

Because of all that happened with Layla, and the fact that she could’ve been reported as a criminal, she completely forgot about what he had actually tried to tell her. It did not cross her mind once, so she found herself staring at him with a surprised expression.

He sighed.

‘You have powers, Bloom.’

She snorted, making him shoot her an annoyed look.

‘Very strong powers, and I want your help.’

She winced.

After dealing with the Trix, she hoped to find some peace and quiet. Although now that Layla knew about Valtor, she would probably try to get as much information as she could from her.

‘I want to destroy the Three Ancestral Witches.’

Both her eyebrows went up, and she blinked.

‘What ?’

‘You heard what I said.’

‘Why ?’

‘Because I can’t do it on my own,’ he admitted with reluctance.

‘No,’ she said as she shook her head. ‘Why do you want them gone ? Don’t you want them to come back ?’

He frowned.

‘No. I need them gone.’

‘How do you know they’re still alive ? Nobody has seen them for-‘

‘Eighteen years, yes.’

She looked down, confused.

‘But I’m not powerful enough.’

‘You will be, one day,’ he assured her. ‘And I will help you get stronger. I will give you everything you need, so that you can help me.’

She shook her head.

She couldn’t help a criminal, that was insane ! He was hurting the whole magical dimension, and now hoped she would give him her help. She didn’t know why he suddenly wanted to get rid of what she understood to be his mothers, but she wouldn’t.

Who knew what would come out of it. Maybe he would get stronger, or maybe even invincible. But he surely wouldn’t do it just because the sake of the entire world was at stake if they ever came back.

‘In return, I’ll help you find your parents.’

She scoffed. So that was his big plan. Telling her what she wanted to hear so he could manipulate her into helping him.

She shook her head, a crazy idea forming inside her head.

‘No.’

She saw him tense, and frown.

‘I also want you to stop hurting people.’

He sneered, taking a threatening step towards her, before stopping himself and closing his eyes. She feared for her life, but tried to sit tall on her chair in her blue pajamas.

She couldn’t help him while her friends suffered. She needed them by her side.

‘If that is what it will take.’

Her heart stammered in her chest, and she almost wanted to tell her friends about the news right there, even if he was still in the room.

‘But,’ he immediately said as he saw a smile appear on her lips, ‘I want immunity if you ever bring your Kingdom back from the dead.’

She tilted her head. It was a risky decision to take right now, with no idea of what happened to her people, and real knowledge of who they were. But what was most important to her right now was her friend’s happiness, and their well-being. Valtor was a threat to the two.

She’d supposed he didn’t attack any of their home planets because he didn’t wish to upset her. After all, everyone expected him to go after Solaria, Eraklyon or Magix. It would’ve made sense, as they are the most important and powerful Kingdoms of the Magical Dimension. But he ignored them, never even once showing his face there, and focused on realms she’d never heard of.

Some had suggested that he may be bidding his time, or wasn’t powerful enough to attack them. But Bloom was certain that if he succeeded in bringing Andros to its knees, it would be a piece of cake to take down every planet in the universe.

Right now, she had the opportunity to bring back peace, and she would take it. If not for herself, than for Layla. The Princess was suffering every day, and she needed to show her that she didn’t wish for Valtor to succeed. She needed to prove that she was against his plans, but still needed him.

She was ready to endure whatever may come her way if she ever succeeded in bringing her people back to life.

‘Well, should we shake hands on it ?’

She watched him take off his glove, and extend his hand towards her.

She stood up, and walked over to him, realizing just how tall he was as the top of her head barely reached his chin. She looked into his eyes, but the usual mischief she could see in them was missing. For once, she saw him serious, and she understood just how important what she was going to do was.

Shaking his hand would mean peace for everyone, but would force him to lay low. For some reason, helping him banish the Three Ancestral Witches and the immunity she could bring him in the name of Domino was enough for him.

Something seemed amiss, but she shook his hand nonetheless.

Some part of her knew he would be too proud to break their promise. But, if he ever decided to betray her after completing his end of the bargain, she would have her friends and her Kingdom by her side. She would be able to fight him back.

He smiled and just like the Cheshire Cat, disappeared from her view in a cloud of smoke, his golden eyes being the last thing she saw of him. She then jumped around her room, letting her magic play with everything around her.

She would be crazy not to enjoy this moment.

* * *

It was snowing on Solaria, and Stella looked at it sadly from the dining room window.

‘Your father will be here in a moment,’ said one servant as she bowed before exiting the room.

After all she lived through with her friends, it was strange to be back in this huge castle, with no one to turn to. Her mother was far away on a business trip, while her father had his Royal Duties to attend to.

She knew he would talk her into taking some courses, because she’d been failing some classes in Alfea. In fact, she knew it was the only reason why he would eat with her tonight.

The Princess needed to be perfect, representing what young people needed to look up to. And although no one compared with her fashion sense and beauty, as she embodied what Solarians thought of perfection, she knew that if she did not pass her third year with excellency, she would be no more than a joke.

The court had laughed at her when they heard she’d been expelled, forced to do her first year all over again. Her friends had turned their back on her, because she was too troublesome to their liking. But Stella kept smiling, because she wouldn’t let herself cry over some people who only saw her as a mean to an end, even if it broke her heart.

It was even worse when they discovered that she wasn’t dating a Prince, but his squire. The shame had been great, so great that she considered breaking up with him. But then, she remembered that he was one of the few people to make her happy and she was too selfish to let him go, understanding why no one could know the truth about their switched personalities.

Meeting the Winx was the best thing that happened in her life, if she was honest with herself. Bloom saved her life, helping her discover what it was to have real friends, who would be angry at her and tell her what she did wrong, instead of accepting anything she threw their way.

After the final battle, tales of her fighting the two sisters with her friends had been heard by everybody. She suddenly saw a lot of people coming back, praising her and asking her to go shopping or go to a café. She laughed and turned them all off.

Now she had real friends, and she couldn’t wait to see them again.

The doors were opened for King Radius, followed by some members of the Court, and he took place at the end of the table. She sat in front of him, as he raised an eyebrow at her audacity. It would probably be the cause of an argument, sooner or later. But they always kept it between themselves, because he couldn’t humiliate the only heir to the throne in front of other people.

Just as she guessed, he tried to convince her to take some classes, talking about it with some important member of the Education System who never ceased to say that they had really good results with fairies failing in school.

She ended up leaving without being invited to, and disappeared in her room, packing everything she would need to survive for a week. Brandon already knew she was coming. His family would welcome her anytime anyway.

Even if they weren’t part of Royalty, their family was well-off and the house big enough to welcome a few guests, so there was no problem if she dropped by for a few days.

They were also very proud to have the Princess of Solaria under their roof.

She was given a little room. Brandon winced as he realized it was even smaller than what she had in Alfea. But she laughed it off, saying it was fine. And she believed in her words.

With his family, she laughed, and enjoyed her holidays. She came by a lot, helping as much as she could, discovering what it meant to be a normal person. She formed a bond with Brandon’s mother, while his father kept praising her for her use of magic when the sun had set and she would light everything up.

Just like on Solaria, the summer was the coldest period of the year, and for the first time she enjoyed going out instead of staying locked up in her room. She didn’t complain when a kid threw a snowball at her. Instead, she retaliated, spending her days doing something she never thought she would enjoy.

But the best part of it all was the way Brandon would hold her at night.

She would cry a lot, missing her mother deeply and desperate for some attention from her father, other than him being angry at her bad grades. She also hated to cry over that, knowing she was lucky enough to be a Princess and have a lot of money, and power.

She expected Brandon to shush her and tell her to stop being a brat, just like her maid used to do when Stella would confide in her. But he never did. Instead he hugged her and let her cry in his sweater, his head on top of hers, repeating that he loved her over and over again.

In times like this, she realized she’d been a fool for ever thinking she could live without him.


	2. Professor Avalon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonjour à tous !  
> So I wasn’t sure I would write, with the high temperatures and all I just wished to lay down on the ground and take cold showers after cold showers lmao. Surprisingly, I actually wrote everything on what I plan to do with the Book II. Something I never did.  
> So now I’m not just writing the chapters and seeing where this leads me, I actually know what I wanna do and…  
> Well, there’s gonna be BIG CHANGES made to the plot. So, if something is obviously different, then it’s probably meant to be and not just a mistake on my part (although it can still be so if you notice anything and you’re not sure, please, tell me XD).  
> As I keep saying, I’m French and English works very differently. I also don’t really know anything about grammar, I just go with the flow. So… yeah, telling me what mistakes I made is only gonna help me. Constructive criticism is always appreciated anyway.  
> This starts at Episode 7, Season 2. Honestly I was just too lazy to rewrite the very first episodes, because there isn’t a lot I can do with them. There would’ve only be one little change and… It wasn’t worth it.  
> You’ll understand what happened don’t worry, you just need to read… Well, everything.  
> Anyway, here is the chapter. Enjoy ^^

Everything was going well.

As a geek, she loved to discover new technologies. As for Timmy, being the romantic boy that he was, he decided to send her a lot of information about a virtual reality prototype his parents had access to, thanks to their relations. He knew she loved that kind of stuff, and she smiled brightly as she kept receiving pages of information.

She then proceeded to send him what she came up with, knowing his advice would come in handy in the future. She also asked him if he wished to test it out when it was finished, and if any other Specialist would like to try it out too.

Digit was also very excited, already reading everything her fairy had wrote down to see if she had any correction to make.

Timmy answered positively, excited by what his friend had achieved, and happy they would be able to meet tomorrow to discuss it together. After all, the Winx had received invitations to assist to Red Fountain’s reopening. This meant that this time, they wouldn’t have to break in.

She was busy asking him at what times he would be free, knowing he would be involved in a lot of show acts, when suddenly she heard a yell from the living room. She excused herself and got out of her shared bedroom with Musa, to see an angry Layla staring at an annoyed Bloom.

‘What’s happening here ?’ Asked Stella, a towel on her head and a green mask on her face.

‘She went to see him again,’ explained Layla with gritted teeth.

Bloom crossed her arms and arched an eyebrow, deciding to stand up for herself while Flora looked worriedly between the two.

‘So what ?’

‘Are you serious ?’

‘Layla, who are you talking about ?’ Asked Musa as she took a step towards the fairy, trying to touch her arm.

But the Princess of Andros pushed her away, and stayed focused on the red head, anger burning in her eyes.

‘Who do you think I’m talking about ? Valtor, of course !’

They all turned to Bloom, whose eyes widened before she scowled, and put her hands on her hips.

‘I went to see Professor Avalon, so that he could help me find answers about my past,’ she said.

‘Then how do you explain the dark magic around you ? It _reeks_. It’s powerful. Just like Valtor’s magic was.’

The girls looked at each other, before giving another look at Bloom, who simply shrugged and rolled her eyes.

‘Listen, I was with Professor Avalon. If you don’t believe me that’s your problem.’

With that, she went past Layla and into her own bedroom. The four girls looked at the fluids fairy, before she too decided to go into her room, letting the door slam behind her.

‘What the hell just happened ?’ Asked Musa.

Stella shrugged as she got back inside her bedroom, still weak after spending so much time underground, and Flora bit her lower lip as she followed the red head, probably to try and get some answers.

Musa groaned as she saw everyone retreating and did the same, while the pink haired girl realized that there was something strange going on.

She sat back at her desk to think.

She believed in Layla. This wasn’t some random fairy who would pick on someone. She was a Princess, and most of the time she was the wisest of them. She’d been exposed to dark magic for so long that it was no wonder if she felt something, while the rest of them didn’t.

She sighed and put her head in her hands, closing her eyes to focus.

Layla said she felt dark energy around Bloom. But Bloom said she was with Avalon.

So that meant that either Bloom was lying, or Avalon was hiding something.

‘What’re you thinking about ?’ Asked her friend, putting down her guitar.

The look Tecna had on her face said it all. She had a theory, and it meant she would give her a speech. A very long one.

‘I think we have a new mystery to solve.’

Musa let herself fall back on her bed, groaning once again as her Pixie looked disapprovingly at her attitude.

Of course they would be the one to investigate when they had no clue about anything.

* * *

She took her books out of her bag and put them on the shelves angrily, ignoring the tears rolling down her face. Lockette and Chatta were silent, watching the red head with worry in their eyes, while the flower fairy stood behind her friend, unsure of how to proceed.

‘Bloom are you-‘

‘I’m fine Flora.’

It was obvious she wasn’t. Even if the flower fairy couldn’t see her face, she probably could see her shoulders moving up and down as the sobs escaped her, or hear her sniff as quietly as she could.

The red head jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder, but didn’t let it affect her and kept emptying her school bag.

‘Bloom, you’re not okay.’

She laughed, and she knew that it wasn’t fair to ignore her friend as she tried to help. But honestly she had no idea why she was in this state. She got angry with Layla too fast. She completely lost control of her emotions and actions.

Every day the sadness and guilt in her grew stronger, and she couldn’t help but snap at anyone who dared to do something wrong in her presence. It was horrible, and she hated herself for it, but in the moment she couldn’t stop herself.

That’s exactly what happened with Layla. The girl was just trying to get answers pacifically, but somehow it escalated, and Bloom knew it was her fault. She taunted her, and refused to give her full answers before the rest of their friends showed up, and she realized just what exactly she had been doing.

She acted like a bad person, and right now she just wanted to hide and escape. What she did was unfair, and she didn’t understand her own actions. It wasn’t like her. But ever since the start of this second year, she’d been so mad at everything that…

‘Bloom, talk to me.’

She whirled around, not even bothering to get rid of the tears on her face.

‘What do you want me to tell you Flora ?’ She asked as the other girl brought her hand back to her chest, her eyes widening. ‘I don’t understand what happened and I don’t understand why I got so angry but I’m just too _tired_ ! I don’t want to think about it, so leave me alone.’

She turned back and took her pajamas and towel before exiting her bedroom, leaving a speechless fairy behind her.

But she couldn’t care less, because some part of her was frightened to the core.

She enjoyed the shock on her friend’s face, and it made everything worse.

The only person that seemed to understand her nowadays was the Professor Avalon. He did everything he could so she would have answers, and she was so glad for all the efforts he put into her.

From the day he rescued them in Darkar’s Fortress, she’d been certain he would be an important part of her life. He defeated the Trix in a matter of seconds, and they hadn’t been able to do anything about it. Even if she thought it had been weird at first for him to be there when they needed him, she quickly got over it and focused on what he could give her.

Sometimes she feared she was asking for too much, especially when he made time for her after class, so she would be able to dive back into her subconscious and make other discoveries. So far, she’d been able to remember her mom’s lullaby, and she cried about it for an hour. And he stayed with her, holding her.

Something switched in her. She knew she wanted more answers. The only person who could help her achieve that would be Avalon. He was the only professor who seemed to really care about her, and who actually wanted to help her.

Unlike Mrs. Faragonda, he never hid something from her. Every time something wrong or dangerous happened, he immediately made sure she was okay, and tried to give her as much information as he could about Domino.

Unlike Mrs. Griselda, he didn’t just look at her with a sad face, obviously pitying her. On the contrary, he encouraged her to be more daring, assuring her she was brave, and made sure she was building up her confidence.

Unlike Professor Palladium, she actually got straight answers about what Domino had been, and was like now. She knew more about the magic the people possessed there. She learned about the Dragon Flame, and all of its abilities. For example, the power she used on Layla to heal her was actually a normal power to have. She wasn’t restricted to fire.

But above all, unlike Valtor, he didn’t have any underlying motivation. The price to pay for his help was getting good grades, and always give the best of herself. He was there for her when she wasn’t feeling well, or had doubts.

He didn’t look at her like she was some kind of fragile doll who could break, but like an actual fairy who could stand up to danger. He acknowledge that she defeated Icy on her own, and didn’t need a knight in shining armor to rescue her.

What she needed though, was for someone to be there by her side. To never let her down.

Sky had laughed and said she had a crush on her professor, which she didn’t bother to deny.

She didn’t really know what she felt towards this professor, but it was something entirely new. She trusted him, like no one else before. She knew that whatever the problem was, he would try to fix it. He would always try to get her side of the situation before judging her.

He was reassuring, and comforting. She felt safe with him.

But she was growing angry nonetheless. She just couldn’t bear to look at Layla anymore, because her anger immediately got the best of her. She hated accusations, or to be labeled as a liar.

It took her a long time to understand this, but she didn’t need to tell her friends everything. Avalon had made it very clear that she could hide some parts of her life if it would hurt the people closest to her.

For the first time in her life, she started forgiving herself for freeing the dark wizard. Her friends had tried to tell her, but her professor had succeeded in proving to her that she could not be blamed for trying to survive.

She knew that something was wrong with her, she was just too negative right now. But she wanted answers, and she would get them as quickly as she could.

She got into her hot shower, and let it relax her.

The least she could do for herself was to get a good night sleep.

She didn’t want to look tired in front of Professor Avalon.

* * *

The flower fairy had a restless night, and sighed when the first rays of the sun entered their bedroom. Bloom was sleeping soundly, as were both of their pixies.

She refused to believe her friend was seeing Valtor secretly. First, because Bloom was a terrible liar, and eventually came out about what she’d done on her own. Secondly, because she saw how hard she worked to please their teacher. They talked together after classes, and she knew they were onto something.

She noticed her friend looked paler though. Sometimes unhealthy. Her appetite had decreased drastically, and she was getting weaker every week. As if she was sick, but she went to the infirmary and the nurse had found nothing. All she could do was give the red head some days of rest, but she was still as weak as before when she went back to class.

Lockette had said she felt something was wrong with her fairy through their bond, but couldn’t quite say what. Every time she tried to talk about it with Bloom, she would shrug and change the subject. Most of the time, she was focusing on one of Avalon’s homework.

The bond between the Winx and their pixies was still very fresh. Layla had explained that it would take some time before they could really identify what the other was feeling, simply because their connection was still weak. Even she had troubles with Piff sometimes.

 _Believing that Valtor was behind it all would make it easier_ , she thought as she finally got out of bed and went straight for the showers.

But ever since Bloom came out to them about what happened in Omega, she made sure to tell them every time she met him on purpose, to make sure they would know what happened if she ever disappeared, or simply to avoid lying to her friends.

Although she was certain Bloom had something to do with Valtor suddenly stopping his attacks, she knew she wouldn’t ask any questions. She would let her friend speak up when the time had come, as she always did.

Most likely, she was waiting for the opportunity to tell them all at once, when Layla wasn’t there. After all, the fluids fairy was now a member of the Winx Club, and they all spent most of their times together.

Flora wondered how she would she react if she learned that it was Bloom who actually got rid of Valtor’s influence. Would she be angry and ask why she didn’t act sooner ? Would she try to tell everyone the truth ? Would she just stop talking to them ? Would she thank Bloom ?

Humming a tune so off-key it would make Musa scream at her, she started dressing up for the day, back in her room while Bloom was slowly emerging. She wanted to look good today, for the grand reopening of Red Fountain.

Although the boys were already back in school, it seemed they prepared something for the occasion. Probably to celebrate their victory against the witches, and once again show how good the Specialists were.

Stella had really rubbed off on her. A year ago she would’ve gone with a simple dress and simple shoes. Now she made sure everything matched, and even added a bit of jewelry.

She heard snickers, and turned around to see the three other occupants of the room look at her with stars in their eyes while their hands hid their mouths.

She smiled and blushed at the same time. It made the others laugh even more, and she suddenly took a pillow from her bed and threw it at them. It only got the pixies, as Bloom immediately threw herself to the ground and grabbed what she needed before running out, probably into Stella’s bedroom.

When the two pixies showed their angry faces, it made Flora burst out laughing and she forgot about her dark thoughts, going around her plants to make sure everything was alright as she waited for all the girls to be ready.

Stella forced them all out of the dorms when they seemed ready, while Layla lightly complained about not getting her breakfast. Her comment was lost in space when Stella teleported them in front of Red Fountain.

Soon enough, they were passing the gates and entered the arena, not batting an eyelash when Bloom told them she would seek out Professor Avalon to tell him where they were going.

Riven made some comments about her being the teacher’s pet once she was gone, but Musa quickly smacked his back for it.

Flora eventually sat down while her friends talked in front of the arena, too tired to stay on her two feet. Stella had helped to hide the bags under her eyes, but even makeup couldn’t help for how tired she was feeling.

She smiled as she saw Layla and Riven engage in a heated discussion about fighting techniques, and let her eyes slide to Musa, whose smile was slowly disappearing. Flora bit her lower lip, unsure of what to do. After all, the music fairy had never openly expressed her feelings for the Specialist, although it was clear for all of them that she did have a crush on him.

She sighed, realizing this could potentially turn out to be a problem, before looking around her and freeze when she realized someone was sitting right next to her, drawing the birds in front of them.

She’d been so tired and lost in her thoughts that she didn’t even look around her before sitting down, and could now understand the curious looks she was getting from Stella.

The blonde was also putting her thumbs up and winking. Flora just rolled her eyes, and huffed.

That got the boy’s attention. From the corner of her eyes she saw him look up from his drawing, and turn his head towards her. At that moment, she was pretty sure she turned as red as a tomato, but still forced herself to look at him, and smile.

Her eyes slowly drifted to the paper he had in hand, and her eyes widened.

‘I love how you drew the nature in the back, it’s really beautiful,’ she said in a hush.

His eyebrows went up, and he slightly tilted his head.

‘You’re the first person to notice it.’

She laughed awkwardly and stood up, but before she could even try to escape, he spoke up.

‘I’m Helia.’

She looked back at him, her heart pounding in her chest.

‘M-My name is Flora.’

He nodded and smiled, before she scurried back to her friends, just as Bloom appeared and they all found their own seats. Bloom sat as far as she could from Layla and looked down, just as the other fairy narrowed her eyes, sensing something.

* * *

‘I’m sorry ladies, have you seen a tall and handsome professor around here ?’

‘No, we didn’t see anyone.’

The three girls answered unanimously, and although it was a bit creepy, Bloom didn’t question it and thanked them, going straight ahead. After all, they looked like witches, and she didn’t expect anything normal coming from such girls.

Somehow, her professor had disappeared, and she couldn’t explain it. She met the two Headmistresses, and the Headmaster of Red Fountain. She also saw some Cloud Tower teachers, but nothing when it came to her own favorite professor.

Eventually, she stopped running around and started walking back to the entrance, knowing the show would start in less than an hour. She wished to greet the Specialists and wish them all luck before their performance.

If she was honest with herself, she knew she went looking for her professor because it also was an easy excuse to avoid Layla. Every time the Princess saw her, she showed her annoyance in some way, even if it wasn’t intentional.

It hurt each time, but Bloom could understand the fairy. That’s why she never talked about it. She had done something extremely wrong, and it cost a lot to the Kingdom of Andros, even if it wasn’t intentional, and couldn’t just expect their Princess to forgive her immediately.

What she didn’t understand was why she thought she was seeing Valtor. That was still a mystery she wanted to solve eventually, but she was way too focused on finding her parents for now. Layla would have to wait.

She turned around a corner, and jumped, before glaring at the laughing wizard.

‘What are you doing here ?’ She asked, annoyed.

One of his eyebrows went up at her tone, and he studied her, his infuriating smirk plastered on his face. It made her angry. She felt herself tense and clenched her fists, knowing her emotions were starting to get the best of her, once again.

This time, though, she was facing someone extremely dangerous, and she couldn’t let herself go.

‘Well, what has got you in such a good mood ?’

‘You being here. Aren’t you supposed to hide ?’

He frowned, and she narrowed her eyes in return.

She was tired of him appearing where she was whenever he wished to. They made a promise, but she never heard from him again, until today. She had absolutely no way to contact him, or to find him. He was the one in charge, and she hated it.

Now, she had her professor who could help her find her parents. He was the safer option. Maybe she should just break the deal she made with the wizard, and focus on what her professor could offer her.

‘I have news abo-‘

‘Listen, I have to get in. You can tell me what you found out _later_.’

She went past him, making sure there was enough space between them so he wouldn’t be able to grab her by the wrist, and never looked back.

She didn’t miss the shock on his face, which quickly turned into a scowl, while she tried to stay emotionless.

She eventually found her friends, and made sure she would be far away from Layla. The fairy would probably feel the dark magic once again, and she didn’t want to fight right now. Not in the middle of the arena, where her secret could come out if they got too angry.

She talked, laughed, and admired the transformation of Red Fountain. She was marveled as she watched her friends fight and make a spectacular show for them, but still, she couldn’t ignore this dark feeling inside of her.

Once again, she was thrilled because she’d been rude to someone.

How pathetic was that.

* * *

She watched him with narrowed eyes.

She only got out for a second, looking for Brandon. She honestly couldn’t care less about the other Specialists, and simply wished to spend some time with her boyfriend. But a dark figure caught her attention.

It was walking away and into a deserted part of the new school, and she followed it. It took only a few seconds to recognize the big coat, the long hair and the boots. When he stopped and raised a hand in front of him, probably to teleport himself out of the school, she cleared her throat.

He turned around slowly, with a raised eyebrow. Apparently, he knew she was there, but had no intention of talking to her.

‘The Princess of Solaria ? What could I possibly do for you ?’ He still asked, a tight smirk on his face.

She tilted her head. For the first time since she knew him, he seemed disturbed. Although she only ever saw him twice.

‘What are you doing here ?’

‘What, your friend didn’t tell you ?’

She frowned, confused, while he started laughing. A very fake laugh.

‘Oh well, that’s your loss.’

‘Wait !’

He huffed.

‘What are you doing here ?’

He smiled, looking towards the sky, before looking back at her.

‘I had some business to attend to. I also was going to warn you, so you could prepare for what’s to come, but it seems it’s too late.’

Stella turned around, and saw a purple monster flying towards the arena. Her eyes widened when she realized her friends would be the main target, and she transformed without thinking. She looked behind her to see the wizard ready to pass a portal, and she stopped him once again.

Now he looked annoyed, and she hesitated, but stood her ground. It was too late to back down anyway, unless she wanted to make him even more angry.

‘Is there any way we can reach you ?’

Bloom told her how infuriating it was to know the wizard could find her, but they couldn’t. This could very well be her only opportunity.

He laughed, and waved his hand. A bit of parchment appeared above her, and she read it immediately. Her eyes widened in surprise.

‘But that’s-‘

Looking up, she realized he had disappeared. She sighed, before realizing the battle had begun in the arena as panicked screams reached her ears, and she flew away.

* * *

Going back to their dorms was something they were all waiting for at the end of the day.

Musa and Tecna disappeared in their bedrooms, ready for a good night sleep, while Stella planned to stay on the phone with Brandon until she was certain he wasn’t hurt. Flora was in a daze, knowing that in her purse she would find a beautiful drawing of herself, not noticing Layla who all but ran into her room.

Working as a team with Bloom had been hard for the water fairy.

She knew the girl had good intentions, and she seemed to be fighting tooth and nail to get rid of the beast. But it didn’t make the situation better. Layla couldn’t get over the fact that there was indeed some dark magic around her.

The other girls completely ignored her warning, and chose to believe the red head. She couldn’t blame them, honestly. They knew Bloom a lot better than she did, but that didn’t make it better. If denial was clouding their judgement, it would be very bad for everyone. Especially if Bloom was indeed working with Valtor.

The next week, she tried to remain calm, and made sure not to ask too many questions. Most of the time, she would get out of the room whenever Bloom came in, or simply stare in another direction.

But it was too much to ask of her.

She couldn’t just stay quiet. This was the man who almost took over her Kingdom, and could’ve ruined the lives of the entire Dimension if he had continued on this path. For some reason, he decided to stop at once one day, but the damage had already been done.

She agreed to keep her secret, but maybe that had been the wrong choice. After all, she didn’t know anything about Bloom, except that she made a good first impression. She never had doubts about her, until she saw her transform and realized the truth.

It’s true she’d been shaken to the core. It was almost unimaginable that this girl would ally herself with one of the worst villains ever known, let alone the one who helped destroy her Kingdom.

When she called for help to free the pixies, she was the one to answer first, and was in her Kingdom in a matter of hours. She never retreated, and always did her best to help while on their mission, always keeping an eye out for Stella, Sky or Brandon. Even her.

Bloom refused that more of them went in, scared for their lives and acknowledging that some powers would not work in the underground. Instead, they left the rest of their team outside, so that if any problem arose, they would still be able to come and get them.

She looked like she would give her life for those she cared about, and she seemed honest. Layla couldn’t understand why she would now lie to them all, just to go to that wizard. But she couldn’t ignore the dark aura around her every time she got back to their rooms when the sun had set.

She let her eyes drift to Piff, who slept soundly on her desk, before sighing and looking at the ceiling, as if it held the answers to all of her questions.

She felt the dark magic seep through the walls before someone actually entered their dorm.

She gritted her teeth, and readied herself to have another heated talk with the red head. This was just too much dark magic, and she was surprised no one else had sensed it.

But she found herself at a loss for words when she opened her door, her eyes widening slightly.

What she found in the living room was a very pale girl, with knees shaking and glazed eyes. Professor Avalon was with her, helping her stay up, looking apologetic.

‘We went too far, too quickly, I fear.’

She nodded slowly, before showing the way to Bloom’s bedroom and opened the door for them, letting the Professor put her on her own bed. The red head drifted to sleep almost immediately, and the fluids fairy doubted the red head even knew she was back in her bed.

Layla tilted her head, a simple question on her mind.

‘Why don’t you bring her to the infirmary ? She seems very weak.’

‘She just needs rest, I assure you.’

He smiled and gave her a pat on the head, before walking out.

She noticed that, if Bloom did have a dark aura around her, it was nothing compared to what she could feel around their professor. Their whole dorm had reeked of dark magic, but it entirely vanished when he got out.

‘Layla, what happened ?’ Asked Flora, her eyes full of worry as she carefully stepped closer to Bloom.

‘She really was with Avalon,’ she breathed out, her eyes darting between the door and the exhausted fairy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oki Doki that’s it for today.  
> When I originally thought it was finished (and sent it to my friend so she could give me some advice and once again, correct my many mistakes lmao) it was only 3k words. Thanks to her you now have a 5k chapter. I think we can all thank her XD  
> So, if you didn’t understand… Instead of Layla showing up with only Piff with her at Alfea after stupidly facing Lord Darkar on her own, the fairy actually called her friends so they could help her all at once. Only Bloom, Stella, Sky and Brandon went in because Bloom thought it was better, and everything that happens in the show after that is what happens in my fic.  
> As always, comment and subscribe ! I love to get mails after posting my chapters all week long !  
> See you next week !


	3. Surprise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Coucou ^^  
> So, new chapter (obviously).  
> I didn’t post it yesterday because I’ve been sick, and was honestly unsure of what I was posting lmao. But my faithful beta reader (MinkaMausi, you can check what she does) has come to me and helped me, assured me this chapter was fine, so here it is !  
> Like I kinda said before, this season is going to be very different, because as I kept thinking about how I could go on I just… realized there was a big plot hole.  
> And, in order for this fic to make sense, I decided to remedy to it.  
> This chapter kinda announces the changes to come, if you remember the exact episode this chapter is about (it’s episode 9, season 2), but I think the real changes will come in the next chapter.  
> Anyway, enjoy this chapter ^^

The breakfast had been good, and finally the girls were able to talk a little bit more to Bloom. They were just starting to get on an interesting topic that didn’t revolve around a certain teacher, when said person waltzed into the cafeteria, under the adoring stares of the students.

Musa looked briefly at Tecna, before staring at their Professor again.

He wasted no time in making his way towards Bloom, and the red head told him about her dream and that she now remembered the lullaby her mother used to sing to her.

‘Do you think you could help me ?’

To her right, Stella was still drooling over Avalon, oblivious to her friend’s behaviors, and unaware of what had happened last nigh to put them all on edge. She’d been the only one asleep, and the red head woke up too early for any of them to warn the blonde without acting suspicious.

‘Of course Bloom, I’ll see you in my office after classes, is that alright ?’

They saw the her nod vigorously, before the teacher walked away, a pleased smile on his face.

Layla narrowed her eyes at him, never once touching the flower he made appear out of thin air before her plate, and stood up once he was out of her sight. It made Bloom roll her eyes and Stella looked at her with a curious expression, while the rest of the Winx got to their feet and started following their friends out of the cafeteria.

They walked to their dorm as fast as they could, and quickly entered Layla’s bedroom, whom they’d never seen before. They were surprised to see it wasn’t as big as Stella’s, instead it looked as if it’d been cut in half.

The bed was on the right, with the green sheets Alfea gives to every student before they end up bringing their own, more colorful ones. On the left, there was a desk made of dark wood with only school books, and Piff’s pink bed. Next to it was a big green closet, and the only other noticeable thing was the empty bedtable.

The light came from a window, above the bed, and let the sun shine right through.

It felt cold, compared to their own bedrooms with their clothes on the floor and every little thing they had acquired with their trips to Magix together. They felt a twinge of guilt go through them when they realized just how Layla never felt home, or the fact that they never bothered to ask her a little bit more if she’d like to come with them.

That at least meant Bloom wouldn’t try to find them in this room.

‘It was so creepy,’ Musa finally said as she carefully sat down on the bed, as if she was scared to ruin it.

Flora hugged herself and sat down next to her.

‘Everyone turned to look at him at once…’

‘ _Hello Professor Avalon_ ,’ imitated Musa as her friend hit her shoulder.

‘There is definitely something wrong with him,’ nodded Layla, who stood upright by the door.

Tecna sat at the desk, hummed, while she casted a curious glance at the flower in Flora’s hands.

Before their teacher arrived, he decided to play a little trick to announce his presence, conjuring a flower for each student, but she never touched it. She feared something might be wrong with it.

‘I didn’t pick up anything, the flower… well it’s a flower,’ explained Flora.

‘But did you see the way Bloom looked at him ?’ Asked the pink haired girl.

‘Did you see the way he touched her shoulder ?’ Added Musa.

‘I only ever see her smile when he is there, with her,’ nodded Layla.

‘And she works very hard to get good grades in his class,’ nodded the flower fairy.

‘But she’s starting to get bad grades everywhere else,’ announced Stella as she opened the door. ‘What are you guys doing ?’

They tensed immediately and quickly shared a look, but stayed silent. The blonde blinked, and sighed when she realized her friends would stay quiet. She closed the door, making sure no one had seen her enter the bedroom, and faced her friends again. Her face serious, for once, and made the girls blink in surprise.

‘Listen, I’m not dumb. Something’s definitely wrong with Bloom,’ she said as she slumped down against the door, seeing that all the other spots were taken. ‘She ditched me right after you left to run after Avalon.’

They all looked at each other, before Tecna nodded.

Layla was the one to explain everything. How she felt dark magic around Bloom every time she came back to their dorm late at night, and supposed it was from Valtor. How, the other night, Avalon showed up and was radiating so much dark magic it had been hard to breath. How Bloom had been in such a pitiful state that they didn’t even know how she was still walking and smiling today.

Stella nodded, looking to the ground, before her eyes widened and she started searching for something in her bag.

‘I supposed that maybe this could help,’ she said as she took out another flower.

They were all identical, but Flora immediately stood up to investigate it.

‘Was it Bloom’s ?’

‘Yeah she completely forgot about it, so I took it.’

The flower fairy seemed perplex for a moment, playing with the flower in her hands while her friends stayed quiet, before she turned around and stared at Tecna.

‘This flower… I think it’s a fake one. It’s really good, but it doesn’t sing to me like the one I got.’

‘Maybe he made an effort for you,’ offered Musa.

‘Or he targeted Bloom specifically,’ said Tecna.

‘But what could he do with a flower ?’ Asked Layla, completely lost.

‘If he poisoned or enchanted it, Bloom could be under a spell right now.’

They all sighed.

After the Trix, they hoped to have a normal year like every other fairy in their year. It was the first time, after all, that Alfea had been under any kind of attack. All of the students stood their ground nonetheless, and fought back.

They all thought it was over, but now had to come to the realization that, as long as they would be friends with the Princess of Domino and bearer of the Dragon Flame, they would never be at peace. More people would probably come after the fairy, and try to use her power for their own purposes.

Right now, that person might be their teacher, who everyone adored, and nobody suspected.

Their dark thoughts were interrupted by Tecna stood up and clapped her hands to bring the attention on herself.

‘I’m going to do some research with Digit. You all try to find something, anything, and keep an eye out for our dear professor.’

‘And look out for Bloom too,’ added Stella.

‘He’s definitely doing something to her,’ nodded Layla.

‘Even I felt the dark energy yesterday and… I… It was terrifying,’ admitted Flora.

Flora put the flowers in her room, readying herself for some research, then grabbed her schoolbag just like her friends, and they all exited their dorm, preparing themselves for the first lesson of the day with Avalon.

* * *

Everything happened very fast.

At first, in lessons. Of course they weren’t that interested in what he was saying, now that they suspected their teacher may have some dark motives concerning their friend and may not be doing his job as well as he should.

They also got very worried at the way Bloom seemed to just crave his attention.

Her eyes were solely set on him, and she sometimes even forgot her friends to simply go to his class, waiting impatiently for him to come. Fortunately the other students seemed to think she had some kind of big crush on him, but the five girls could see how unhealthy their friend’s behavior became every time she went back to the dorm.

She still spent some time with them. She would laugh, go to town or take a walk by the forest with them. But those moments were getting extremely rare. Even Sky feared he had done something wrong and asked Stella about it, but the blonde could only shrug and explain to him that Bloom didn’t have time anymore.

He seemed sad, and the Princess really wished she could say something else, maybe let him know they suspected something about Professor Avalon, but they all knew it was too dangerous. The more people would know, the more danger they put Bloom and their teacher in.

Because, if they were wrong, they could very well destroy the man’s carrier. Maybe it wasn’t his fault if their friend was acting weird all of a sudden. Although Flora and Layla wouldn’t buy it, after he refused to take the red head to the infirmary when she clearly needed to be examined.

Tecna finally found out about a prophecy, and the two princesses had to agree about the wings’ their professor had when he saved them. He fitted the description of a winged monster perfectly, and the fear overtook them when they realized he might be a terrible being, biting his time until the right time came.

The pink haired girl knew they didn’t have much time to act, and that is how they found themselves preparing themselves to attack their professor.

It was on the night their professor was supposed to transform, and reveal his true nature. After that moment, he would be invincible. They only had to make sure Bloom was safely tucked under her covers, before transforming and taking off to the wing where the professors slept.

Fortunately, it wasn’t hard to find him, and to break inside his quarters. Even better, he wasn’t in his living room, so they were able to enter the it without alarming him.

The plan was simple after that : while everyone would take off after him, Flora would be the one to look through his belongings. She didn’t feel like a great addition to the team, and while on every other day Tecna would’ve said the contrary, she instead nodded and gave her another mission.

If they couldn’t succeed in fighting him back, at least Flora could find something to use against him in the future. So she hid behind a door after Stella inspected the room, and they waited for their teacher to get out.

Obviously he had been showering, and he was naturally surprised to see them, all transformed and looking for a fight. They immediately stated their intentions, and he was out of the room by the next second, using the main door. None of them looked back at the flower fairy, afraid they would give her position away.

Flora wasted no time, and started looking for clues in the bedroom she was in.

At first glance, one would think the room was very well organized, because nothing stood out.

But, if one looked a little bit more, they would realize that there actually was nothing worth mentioning. All the professor seemed to possess were cloths, and normal things a normal person would have to be clean. But there was nothing in his bedtable, nothing personal hidden in his living room, and nothing in his bathroom excepted a toothbrush, a tube of paste and towels.

She was getting desperate. The only personal thing he seemed to own was his necklace, which he put on his bedtable. She decided she could give it a try, he did wear it every day after all, but doubted a something as simple as a piece of jewelry would give her a real clue.

For some time, she just stared at it, hesitating and narrowing her eyes, before taking it in her own hands.

She was hit by a wave of dark magic so powerful it made her fall backwards, and it knocked the air out of her lungs. A voice screamed in her head, and she was blind to everything around her. All she could do was focus on her hand, and the necklace to let it fall to the ground and end her nightmare.

One picture stayed in her mind : someone, chained to a wall, dying.

With wide eyes, she pushed herself up, and fell back on her side.

The magic was too powerful for her to handle, but she knew she had to get out. It took a lot of time for her to even reach the door, and close it behind her, but she did it.

When she found herself in the corridor, she was only able to take two steps before she had to let herself fall against the wall. She still had trouble breathing, and could do nothing when a hand touched her shoulder. She didn’t really react, because she couldn’t see anything, and let herself be led through the school.

The person next to her knew where they were going, and she didn’t have the energy to refuse the help she was getting. She didn’t know who they were, only that they felt safe and familiar.

When the world tilted over and she found herself in her own bed, she came back to her senses for a second and assessed the person who just helped her. Her whole body relaxed when she recognized the red hair, and she let sleep take over her.

* * *

‘Bullshit,’ said Tecna as she opened the door and let herself into the living room.

‘It’s only a test,’ said Musa.

‘We tried to kill him, and that is all he has for us ?’ Asked the technology fairy, not convinced one bit as she let herself fall into their sofa.

‘She’s right, that doesn’t make any sense. I would’ve thought that… well, we would be expelled,’ explained Layla as she took her place besides the pink haired girl.

‘I mean, I only made the science lab explode and I was kicked out. So yes, there is something wrong here. I call it injustice,’ stated Stella as she crossed her arms and pouted.

Someone coughed, and the four girls turned around to see two other fairies staring at them, one very tired while the other just seemed out of place.

‘Oh hi Mirta, what are you doing here ?’ Musa asked immediately, trying to brush off the conversation they just had.

‘She knows girls,’ said Flora, her shoulder against the wall.

‘I found your friend last night in the teacher’s wing,’ explained the ex-witch.

‘And what were you doing over there ?’ Asked Tecna, immediately suspicious.

Mirta looked down, and fidgeted while Flora huffed.

‘She saved me, so let her explain.’

The girls’ eyes widened at her tone, and immediately looked at Mirta for an explanation, while the red head could only let a strange laugh come out.

‘It’s the dark magic in her system, everyone reacts differently and she just… well…’

‘What do you mean by that ?’ Asked Layla, her eyebrows furrowing.

‘Hm… Well, something happened in Professor Avalon’s bedroom and… she… hum…’

‘A straight answer please !’ Pressed Musa, her eyes darting between the flower fairy who looked nothing like herself, and the new fairy who seemed suspicious, to say the least.

Said fairy finally calmed herself and started explaining her story.

To the Winx’ shame, she noticed them when they were going to their professor’s room, and simply followed them. After all, all the strass on them made it easy to track and she had trained to hide in the shadows and be unnoticeable. She stayed in the teachers’ wing when she saw that Flora wasn’t chasing their professor with the other four girls, and wondered if she should investigate what they were doing.

After some minutes, Mirta thought it would be appropriate to enter the room, when she suddenly felt a wave of something so dark she stayed frozen in her place, until she saw the flower fairy get out and close the door behind her, panting.

She was only able to take two steps before her legs gave out. The red head understood that her friend was in no shape to get back to her room on her own, and simply decided to help her.

She left pretty quickly for her own bedroom before Griselda noticed anything, and came back in the morning, while the four girls were gone to the Headmistress’ office, and Bloom went outside as she waited for someone.

‘Well thank you, Mirta,’ nodded Layla. ‘So her behavior is related to-‘

‘I’m here, you know,’ interrupted Flora, crossing her arms.

‘We know, drama queen,’ said Stella in a huff. ‘But wh-‘

‘What did you just call me ?’ Asked Flora as she immediately took a step forward and her eyes zeroed on the blonde.

The girls looked at each other, hesitating, when suddenly their friend fainted. Layla and Musa immediately stood up to help Mirta get their friend to her bed.

‘Is that normal ?’ Asked Musa, completely panicked.

‘Yeah. Dark energy is very hard on a fairy, especially one as pure as Flora, so I would imagine it will take a long time for her to recover.’

‘Did she tell you anything ?’ Asked Layla as they slowly made their way back to the living room.

‘Yes. When she woke up, she told me that what put her in this state, was touching the pendant Professor Avalon always wears.’

‘And ?’

‘Well… She also told me she heard a voice screaming in her head… and then she saw someone, chained to a wall, and he seemed to be… dying.’

Silence took over, and for a moment, they stayed like that. Unsure of how to proceed next.

Eventually, Tecna thanked the red head, and Mirta scurried off to her task of the day while everyone sat back on the couch.

‘Why did Flora say so much to her ?’ Asked Layla.

‘Mirta is a good friend,’ explained Musa. ‘She went through a lot just to help Bloom last year, and they didn’t even know each other.’

That seemed to satisfy the fairy.

‘So, what do we do ?’ Asked Tecna. ‘Something is wrong with Avalon, but unless he does something stupid, we won’t have the opportunity to find out what it is before he reveals it himself.’

She huffed, realizing that this time she wouldn’t be able to solve this mystery on her own.

‘I think I may have a solution,’ said Stella confidently.

* * *

‘I still think we should ask other professors for help,’ said Layla with a frown, as the rain poured down on them.

It only took a few hours for them to get out of Alfea and take the next bus to Magix. They were free to go wherever they wished on weekends, after all. Although it had been weird, because of the rain and overall cold weather as they slowly got closer to winter.

‘I think that, after what happened this morning, they won’t believe a word we say,’ assured Musa, looking straight ahead of her.

‘We could show them the state Flora is in,’ insisted the brown haired girl.

‘And what ? We have no idea how to prove it really was because of Avalon’s pendant, and I bet he would be able to do something to it so-‘

‘We’re here,’ interrupted Stella.

Before any of them could stop her, she called for the resident 34 and stepped back.

It was a good looking building, white and blue, with a flat roof. It was connected to the ones next to it, and situated in a good neighborhood. It probably had a lot of families living in it. Honest people, living their life normally. The windows were clean, and there were a lot of plants hanging from them.

‘ _The door has been opened_ ’, said a weird voice, making Tecna scoff.

‘They still have that backward technology here ?’

The others ignored her, and Stella pushed the door open.

The apprehension was getting bigger by second. It felt so weird and normal to walk up those stairs like that, as if they were visiting some friend, or a family member. On their way, they even met a cute little girl, already using her magic to make her ball levitate. She smiled at them, before running back into her own apartment, while the girls kept climbing the stairs.

Eventually, they reached the third floor, and noticed the opened door.

They only stared at it for a second, before Layla sighed and walked purposefully towards it.

Carefully, they entered the apartment. It was surprisingly cozy ; the walls were painted in white, and the living room was simple but very welcoming, with its beige couch and its pillows and white covers, or the wooden little table in front of it where four mugs rested.

A large window was next to the couch, but the light came from above on this rainy day.

They had to walk a bit further to realize the living room was connected to the kitchen. It wasn’t big and just like the rest of what they’d seen, it was mostly white and made of wood. There were some flowers growing in a little corner, and a fifth mug was there.

‘Well, hello girls, what can I do for you ?’

The door was closed, and they all turned around to look at the man they came to see.

‘We need your help,’ started Layla, gritting her teeth. ‘Valtor.’

He smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yet again, this is one of those chapters where I really was at a loss for what I was doing, or what I wanted to write in it. Well, how I wished to write it, anyway.  
> So, the story continues, and we haven’t really heard of Bloom… next chapter should be more interesting.  
> If you noticed any mistake, please feel free to dm or just comment them so I can do something about it lmao  
> Please, favorite and comment, it really is good for my motivation to continue this story lmao.


	4. Stranger Things

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hahahaha.  
> I had 6 pages ready. 6 freakin’ pages. And everything was deleted.  
> Life is just SO funny hahahahahaHA  
> It’s not like I started giving my EVERYTHING in the dialogues and all haHAhaHaHa !
> 
> For those of you wondering, the fact that I titled this chapter 'stranger things' doesn't mean anything. I just finished the season 3 and was in tears, and I couldn't help but think about it so... yeah.  
> So anyway, now that the anger has subdued, let’s get on with the chapter !

Whatever what people might think, Bloom wasn’t stupid.

She noticed the lingering stares and dark glares headed her way every time Professor Avalon came to see her personally, or the way her friends eyes followed her and inspected her when she got back to their dorms.

She knew something was wrong with her health. But she couldn’t bring herself to care, because that would probably mean stopping her sessions with her teacher, and she was now so close to discovering something that she didn’t even want to imagine telling him they should stop.

She also knew that some students thought she was more than a student to their professor. In all sincerity, that’s what the red head liked to think too. Especially when she was lying in bed, trying to find a nice thought to fall asleep with. But she wasn’t stupid, and perfectly knew that he was only helping her because of his kind nature. He would do the same thing for anyone else.

What sometimes bothered her was the fact that none of the Winx really stood up for her. Of course, they had done a lot for her already, but she felt abandoned now. Layla was a constant source of stress in her life, and some part of her just wished she would go back to taking home lessons on her perfect little planet.

As she laid on her back outside of Alfea, in one part of the forest surrounding the school, she couldn’t help but think that the only person that was really there for her was her professor.

When she needed help, he answered. He never judged or doubted her. He saw her worth and potential, and made her feel approved. As if she could become a great fairy someday, even though she only learned about the Magical Dimension a year ago.

A shadow blocked the sun, and she smiled as she recognized the long dark hair and white clothes.

‘I hope I didn’t take too long ?’

She wished to believe he was somehow teasing her, but that would be indulging her fantasies. Still, she stood up as fast as she could, and nodded eagerly with a big smile on her lips.

‘Well then, let’s go,’ he said as he turned away.

She silently followed, looking to the ground to try and hide how happy she felt at the mere sight of him. He seemed oblivious most of the time, but she really wondered if some part of him knew she had some feelings towards him.

He didn’t speak to her on the way. Words weren’t needed, anyway.

They entered Alfea, and found themselves in his office a few minutes later.

He made his way towards his desk, while she stayed by the door to look at the wooden table in the middle of the room. Except for a few purple orbs, there was nothing on it, and she guessed she would have to lay on it for today’s session.

Slowly, her feet took her to it, while her professor got rid of his jacket.

‘Professor ?’

He hummed, and she saw him lightly nod but he didn’t turn back to face her, instead he chose to focus on retrieving the wand he kept in his desk.

‘Why were you late today ?’

Her tone wasn’t accusatory. She was genuinely surprised, as he was always on time. He never missed a single class, and was a strict teacher. Even for their sessions, he always seemed to be there earlier than needed.

‘Ah, well, I had a little of a… hm, problem, with your friends,’ he said as he kept his back to her.

‘My friends ?’

‘Yes. Tecna, Stella, Musa… and Layla. They are your friends, or am I mistaken ?’

‘N-no ! They… are. But what kind of problem did you have with them ?’

He gave a little laugh, and turned around.

‘Well, they seemed to believe I was some kind of winged monster, and would bring doom to everyone.’

He took the wand in his right hand, and with a swift movement of his wrist, the orbs started glowing and positioning themselves above the table. The first time, Bloom had been amazed and, even if she’d seen him do it a dozen of times now, she was still impressed.

But this time her eyes did not follow the orbs. They stayed on her professor, and his gaze found hers.

‘It has been settled. It is good to know that they would act, instead of just talk. But they were mistaken, and if they had succeeded… they would have had to pay expensive consequences.’

‘What do yo-Did they try to…’

‘Lie on the table, please,’ he said with a gentle smile on his lips.

She complied immediately, and let him move the orbs so they would stay… where they had to stay. She honestly did not understand everything that he did, and decided that if it worked, it was good enough for her.

‘When did they attempt to-‘

Her head had automatically rose, and he used his left hand to push against her forehead, and keep her still while he started working his magic on her.

‘Last night. Now, focus please.’

She frowned, not satisfied with his answer, but he was right. As always.

She closed her eyes, and after hearing his incantation, she felt herself drift away as the weight of her body disappeared. It felt as though she was flying for a moment, and when she felt that familiar pull in her mind, she let go of her thoughts.

Her eyes opened on their own, and she found herself in a grey fog, as usual. She looked around, but this time she couldn’t see anything. The first times, obviously, she had been afraid. Now, she simple started going straight ahead of her.

It was weird : she was flying, but could feel herself walk. She tried to forget the weird sensation, and to concentrate a little bit more on what was around her. Still, the fog seemed to be denser than ever, and was wondering if this would be one of those sessions where nothing happened and she had to go back to her room without any result.

She started humming the lullaby of her mother, as she turned around to see if anything appeared. After all, she’d never tried something like that before.

The fog started to disappear. She smiled, but suddenly had to close her eyes as a big light appeared above her and blinded her. It took her a second to blink away the confusion, before she was hit by a wave of blue and gold. As though she was flying in the sky, but she felt her body lying down.

For a second, she tensed, unsure of what was happening.

She heard a voice. A woman’s voice, for sure, but she couldn’t understand the words. The all-tongue spell wouldn’t work in her memories, but she was certain those were nice words. The warmth she felt through the tone of the voice made her relax.

A sad smile made its way on her lips when the person started singing the lullaby, and realized that this person might be her mother. Tears built up in her eyes, and she almost mistook the sobs she heard for hers.

Almost, because as she tried to calm down to hear the voice a little better, she realized that the person singing to her was crying. Her mother was crying.

Bloom opened her mouth to say something, but a wave of red and orange hit her, replacing the calm colors she was surrounded with. Panic took over, and she felt her pulse quicken, before she tried to scream and transform.

Of course, it didn’t work.

Screechy laughs surrounded her, and it took her only a few seconds to realize who they belonged to. She heard a gasp, before another voice came in. There were a few words exchanged as both of the women starting to yell at each other before an explosion clouded everything, and turned the fog to black.

She coughed by reflex, feeling her throat burning up even though she didn’t inhale anything. Slowly, the sounds of a battle reached her ears, before a baby started screaming, and she started panicking all over again.

Colors kept changing, from grey to red to brown, and she couldn’t keep up with what was happening. Her head started pounding like crazy. Her eyes couldn’t focus on anything anymore.

So she ran the other way.

At first, she didn’t really have a clear direction. She just tried to escape the sounds she could hear, and hoped it would be enough. Or that her professor would understand that something was wrong, and would bring her back.

‘ _Bloom._ ’

She stopped.

More words followed, but she couldn’t understand.

But this time she was certain, it was her sister talking.

She looked back, to see a clear image of her sister’s face, as she must’ve been cradling her baby body. She saw a tear roll down her cheek, as the past version of herself started to do some noises, before the nymph extended her arms and suddenly, smoke took over.

She couldn’t see anything but fire around her, but she knew she would be safe.

Calming down, she noticed the purple lightnings in the distance, menacing. She simply smiled and made her way towards them. This would be her exit, as scary as it was.

She casted a last glance at her memory, and saw a fireman come into view. A happy smile graced her lips, before turning away and finally getting out of her mind.

Usually, she had to force herself to breath back air in. This time however, she had to take everything in at once, as if her body had died for a moment.

She somehow noticed that the orbs fell at once, but she was more focused on pushing herself on her side, before a hand on her waist stopped her. It took her a moment, but she eventually realized that her professor was preventing her from falling from the desk.

Gently, she let him bring her back, and she sat up.

‘What happened ?’ He asked, concerned.

She shook her head, smiling once again as she looked at him.

‘I’m alright, it’s just a lot to take in at once.’

Then she turned around and got off her desk at once, finding stability almost right away, and walked to the door slowly.

‘You’re sure you don’t need help ?’

‘I’m sure professor. I just… need to sleep right now.’

She didn’t see him, but knew him enough by now to be sure he nodded.

‘After dinner, I’ll tell you what I saw.’

‘Of course.’

When she opened the door to exit, she still casted a little glance at her professor.

He had turned around and was busy placing his wand on the table, his face unreadable. She kept in a sigh of content at the simple sight of him, before closing the door and making her way towards her dorm.

* * *

The door slammed shut behind him, and he slowly made his way into the apartment, staring at every girl personally before entering the kitchen, while they simply watched, unsure of how to proceed next.

‘It’s about Bloom,’ started Stella.

‘It’s always about Bloom,’ he drawled out sarcastically.

The blonde breathed in, obviously ready to answer, but nothing ever came out. Her shoulders slumped, and she crossed her arms, lowering her head. He was right, after all.

He didn’t act smug for it though. Instead he just took the fifth mug, the only one in the kitchen and made his way back towards them, making them all tense at once.

‘But I have to wonder what happened for you all to be here,’ he said as he pointedly looked at the Andros Princess.

She narrowed her eyes at him, but didn’t comment. Instead, Tecna took the lead.

‘You are the only person with enough knowledge about dark magic to help us,’ she blurted out.

It was blunt, and Musa almost snorted at the stillness of the wizard. Of course, fairies were known to be quite gentle creatures, so this must’ve been a first. Especially since he must not have had a lot of interaction with them.

‘And why would you want to know more about _dark magic_ ?’ He asked, obviously mocking her choice of words.

It didn’t affect the pink haired girl though.

‘We think one of our professors is using some kind of spell on Bloom.’

His eyebrows shot up, and the corners of his lips went down as he nodded. Obviously, he did not expect such an answer, but a few seconds later he recovered and a smirk was plastered on his lips as he gestured for them to sit down.

‘Well, I doubt your dear Headmistress would allow such a thing.’

Musa and Stella carefully picked up the steaming mugs from the table, sharing a glance before trying it out at the same time under the amused eyes of the wizard. They both had to stop themselves from having any kind of reaction, but when they looked back at each other they could agree : this was the best tea they ever drank.

Immediately they felt more relaxed, and assessed the situation with a clearer head while Tecna was still talking.

‘Yes, but we recently got into a… hm, bit of a predicament concerning this professor, and we’re not sure she would believe us.’

He nodded and blinked, before he drank from his own mug.

‘But,’ added Musa,’ we’re sure something is wrong with him. Or at least his necklace.’

‘Yes, Flora touched it and suddenly she was… infected with dark magic or something,’ finished the blonde.

The wizard tilted his head, a little bit more interested in their story.

‘Really ? The flower fairy ?’

‘Yes,’ nodded Tecna. ‘We left her asleep in our dorm because she couldn’t handle it, but her whole behavior had changed !’

‘It was like… facing a twisted version of her,’ agreed Layla.

He nodded.

‘But why is Bloom involved in all of this ?’

Tecna took a deep breath in, and started telling him everything.

* * *

‘Ah Flora, you’re up,’ noticed Bloom as she opened the dorm door.

Said fairy did not even turn around, too focused on some magazine to seemingly register her friend’s words.

‘Flora ?’

‘Bloom ?’

Turning around, she met the eyes of Mirta, who looked unsure of what to do.

As if she wasn’t in her own dorm.

‘What’re you doing here ?’ She asked, a little bit harsher than what she meant.

‘Leave her be,’ said the brown-haired girl.

Surprised, Bloom blinked, her eyes darting between the two, before huffing and making her way back into her own room. With a little push of her magic, she made the door slam shut without even touching it, and hoped it would show just how angry she was.

Maybe push her friend to come back and talk it out with her, like she always did when there was a fight.

But time passed, and she had to realize that it simply wouldn’t happen today. She had to take it on herself.

She sighed, but made her way back into the living room, to find it empty.

She blinked, and some part of her felt like it was ripped in two. She ignored that feeling, and simply lied back down on her bed, forgetting to take off her shoes. She simply stared at something in front of her, and fell asleep with dark thoughts clouding her mind.

* * *

Flora didn’t feel well. At all.

At first, she enjoyed the bravery and boldness that came with the dark energy. But now, her true personality was coming back, and she couldn’t help but wince every time she spoke her mind too bluntly.

Mirta was a victim of her behavior, but didn’t seem to be hurt at all by it. The red head even took the flower fairy to her own bedroom, to let her slowly get her senses back without too much distractions.

Just like Layla, it was just big enough for the fairy. But it was light colored, and a lot of photos were plastered on the walls. The desk had a lot of papers on it, probably from more than one class, and she noticed a few designs.

‘Well, where did you think I got those cool clothes ?’ Laughed off the red head.

Flora only nodded, impressed and showing it.

Then she sat on the bed, and did pretty much nothing as Mirta organized herself.

She watched with falcon’s eyes her every move, before being too bored and leaning back against the wall, a little sigh escaping from her lips.

Some of her dormmates entered the room to ask or give the fairy something. Amaryl seemed much more friendly to this red head, and had a little hesitation when she saw the flower fairy before ignoring her.

Kimmy, a blonde and another Linphean fairy who aimed to take Professor Palladium cursus once her third year completed, also came in to give back some witch books. Being a healer seemed to be her vocation, and she already worked hard, but she wished to know a little more about the way witches approached this art. Mirta was very impressed and glad she had such a friend, who was opened to learn about what she called the “dark arts”.

The blonde ended up leaving after giving a little cactus to Mirta, and waved a shy goodbye at Flora. The brown-haired girl nodded, then let her eyes drift to the red head’s new plant.

‘She gives me those, sometimes. It’s supposed to bring luck, I suppose,’ she explained when she noticed the intense staring of her friend. ‘I have a good collection of those, and I really love to see them bloom.’

Flora nodded. Of course she noticed the five cactus who all had different colors on her nightstand.

‘Yes, we only give those to very good friends. They all have very good qualities to them.’

Fortunately, talking about flowers made her calmer, and she started explaining how every plant could be used, and what effect they could have on one’s mind.

Soon, she this dark feeling inside her vanished, and her true self was finally back. Albeit with a little more energy than what she was used to, but it didn’t bother her.

It was just in time before Amaryl opened the door again, this time pouting, and reluctantly let Stella in.

‘Flora… We may need you now,’ she said in a hush, looking at Mirta with an apologetic smile.

The red head nodded with a little smile, and turned to stare at her friend.

‘I’m coming !’ Said the flower fairy, as she immediately stood up.

She thanked the ex-witch, happy of how things turned out, and exited the room.

On the way, she noticed the blonde sent her a few weird looks, but she answered with a bright smile and joyfully returned to their own dorm. Opening the door, her smile got even bigger at the sight of someone else than her friends in their living room.

‘Hi Valtor !’

It took the three other girls a moment to register that it was indeed their friend who just greeted the villain this way, before casting a worried glance at the blonde whose eyes had also widened.

‘Hello,’ he simply answered with a smile.

‘How are you ?’

‘I’m fine, how about you ?’

‘I’m feel perfectly fine ! It’s a beautiful day outside, right ?’

‘Indeed it is.’

‘I have to take care of my plants, I’ll be back in a bit !’

She disappeared in her room, and the door closed slowly as Stella also let herself in.

The four girls had trouble processing what just happening in front of them, while the wizard took his surroundings in.

Stella casted a worried glance at her friends, distraught by her friend’s behavior. Valtor caught it, and he laughed.

‘The negative energy is getting out of your friend’s system, don’t fret.’

They slowly nodded, before Tecna cleared her throat.

‘Maybe you could… examine her, or something ?’

He turned his head to hers, and they tensed. His face didn’t give anything away.

Then, he burst out laughing.

Musa clenched her teeth, and Layla looked away, clenching her fists. Stella simply crossed her arms, impatient, while Tecna kept a straight face.

‘I’m sorry,’ he said as he calmed himself down. ‘But no. Your friend has been infected by something powerful, but even I can’t tell where or from who it comes from.’

‘So we brought you here for nothing ?’ Asked Layla, worry taking over her.

He rolled his eyes.

‘Not exactly, _Princess_. If I remember correctly, I am here to see what is happening with your friend Bloom, isn’t that right ? I can’t tell you much about the flower fairy because she has already got rid of too much of the magic.’

Layla huffed, and looked outside, obviously unnerved by the whole situation.

‘Now, if I could see the girl in question ?’

Tecna nodded towards the door Flora had went through a few minutes earlier, and Stella immediately walked towards it, checking if her friend was still asleep.

Unfortunately, that was not the case. Instead, she found Flora laughing and conversing happily with the red head, whose big smile made the heard of Stella melt. It had been so long since she smiled in their presence, and for the simple fact that she saw her friends.

But, if Flora kept smiling when she noticed her friend, Bloom definitely got mad.

‘You !’ She said accusingly.

Stella blinked, and froze.

‘Care to explain what you tried to do to Professor Avalon last night ?’

The girls in the living room tensed, while Stella bit her lower lip and stole a glance towards them, making Bloom aware of their presence too.

Upset beyond words, she stood up from her bed and pushed the blonde backwards, asking for answers blindly, until her eyes met the golden ones of the wizard.

Her world faltered for a moment, and Stella had to catch her friend before she fell backwards.

‘What’s he doing here ?’

She almost transformed, but something prevented it.

The looks she got from her friends were full of worry, and it only fueled her anger.

‘Hello to you too.’

He was talking calmly, and she couldn’t take it.

‘Is this some kind of sick joke ?’

She almost spat the sentence, taking a step back as she shrugged the blonde off.

‘Bloom, listen, there is something wrong with you an-‘

‘Wrong with me ? You bring a criminal in our freaking dorm but I’m the problematic one ?!’

‘You don’t understand there’s so-‘

‘I don’t care if I don’t un-I don’t even want to understand !’

‘Bloom please !’

‘Just tell me what the f-‘

‘Enough.’

A dark wave of energy hit the room, and no one heard the little shriek the flower fairy let out.

Bloom stood her ground, and narrowed her eyes at the wizard, but didn’t voice her complaints. None of the fairies dared to, not when he looked so serious.

‘I see what you were talking about,’ he finally said as he took a step towards the fairy.

Her back hit the door before she could try to get away, and the wizard was able to put his hands on her shoulders, locking his eyes on hers.

She felt his magic coursing through her veins, and for a moment she wondered why he was doing it again. The feeling was strange, but that was it. When he gave her his powers, and she eventually had to ask him to take them back because they influenced her, it wasn’t painful.

It was like electricity going through you. She could feel it move around, and her muscles somewhat answered to it as they flexed on their own. Her pulse quickened too, as if her body realized it was not meant to be there and wanted it gone.

So she stared back at the wizard, trying to show her anger as much as possible, when something in her stomach went wrong.

She screamed when it traveled through her backbone, and eventually extended to her entire body. Her muscles were all flexing at the same time, and by reflex she took hold of the wrists of the wizard. They were the closest thing to her, and she needed to grip onto something.

Something snapped in her, and he was the only thing keeping her up as she bent forward and kept on screaming, hot tears rolling down her cheeks. She started to push the villain away on instinct, knowing he was the source of all this pain. She didn’t care if he saw how powerless she was against him, she just wanted to be free of this torture.

He stopped the spell a few seconds later, but kept his hands on her shoulders as she slowly regained balance. She stared at his chest, who rose up as fast as hers. She registered in some part of her mind that it meant it had been hard on him too.

Maybe she noticed the way he seemed to lean on her, but it quickly disappeared and she put it on her delirious mind.

What she knew was real, was the strange and dark thing slithering inside her. It almost made her gag, but she had some dignity left.

She wondered how she couldn’t have felt it sooner.

Valtor’s magic had been so obvious to her. She knew how it felt, and how to reach it when she needed it, or simply wanted to experience what dark magic was. Of course, she was very bad at controlling it, and only called on it when she needed a little bit more power.

Which never happened. Winning against Icy had been pure luck.

But this power was hiding inside her. Waiting for its moment. Eating her energy to grow.

She met the golden eyes in front of her, and saw the same confusion she felt reflect in them. His eyebrows were furrowed, and he looked at her as if she was a mystery to be solved.

‘Get off me please,’ she asked.

Unlike before, there wasn’t a single part of her that was angry. Instead, she just sounded tired.

He nodded, and slowly let go of her. Stella took over, while the wizard simply made his way to the table to rely on it.

Bloom fell on her bottom, her friend accompanying her, and they hugged.

There would be no more fighting for today. She just wanted her friends back.

‘It is strange, to say the least,’ finally said the wizard.

‘Can you tell us more than that ?’ Asked Layla.

He nodded.

‘As you said, there is a very negative aura around your friend. It’s invading her magical core and actively tries to take over her true magical traits.’

‘What does that mean ?’

He sighed, and looked to the ground as he tried to come up with an answer to Musa’s question.

‘It’s like a disease or an infection. It’s making her sick.’

‘But why would someone make her sick ?’ Worriedly asked Stella.

‘A lot of reasons. She does have the power of the Dragon Flame.’

They stared in silence at Bloom, whose breathing was still hectic.

‘Why would our Professor do that to her ?’

This time, the red head seem to wake up from her daze, and cast a glare at Layla.

‘You said your friend saw something when she touched his necklace ? Maybe we can ask her directly ?’

Stella slowly moved Bloom to the couch, while Layla opened the door to seek Flora out.

But all they heard was the frightened gasp the fluids fairy let out, before she ran into the room. The two other girls immediately followed, while the wizard slowly walked up to the door, somehow stopped by an invisible wall.

‘What’s happening ?’ Asked Stella, not leaving her best friend’s side.

Layla crouched down to Flora’s shivering form on the ground, and tried to wake her up.

‘Let me,’ said Tecna as she let her hands roam above her friend’s body.

‘Well ?’ Ended up pressing the music fairy.

‘The… nothing,’ she sighed with wide eyes. ‘There is literally nothing on-‘

‘Let me,’ said the wizard, almost mocking the pink haired girl’s words.

But they didn’t pick it up. They wanted answers, not a fight.

Just as he did with Bloom, he took the fairy by her shoulders, and focused for a few seconds before standing back up and stepping away from them.

‘I believe I am the cause of this.’

‘You ?’

Layla was immediately ready to call on her powers, but Valtor put his hand in the air while rolling his eyes at her.

‘Yes, I only meant to affect Bloom. I did not realize she’d been so badly affected by the necklace she touched.’

‘But is she going to be okay ?’ Asked Musa.

He nodded.

‘You’ll have to see how she is doing by tomorrow. She will be very weak for a few days, but shouldn’t feel any more consequences. It’s only dark magic after all. Her body can process it, but she’s not used to it.’

‘But why was Bloom still standing while Flora is on the ground ?!’

Layla seemed only seconds away from transforming now. Her magic was pulsing around her.

On the other side, Valtor stood up and slowly turned to face her.

This time, a cold shiver ran through Musa and Tecna’s spine, when they saw the anger written on his face.

‘Because, _Princess_ , your flower friend had to absorb a phenomenal quantity of dark magic at once,’ he explained, his eyes suddenly darkening. ‘Moreover, she is a nature fairy, with a gentle and purity written in her blood. It goes against _everything_ she is. Her body had to adapt very quickly, and if the magic she has encountered is as dark as what is inside Bloom, I believe you are all bloody lucky to see her breathing at all.’

His eyes roamed over the fairy’s face, as she suddenly backed down and let her arms rest at her sides. Her magic disappeared, and the tension disappeared from the room.

‘And let’s not forget that, if I understood correctly, Bloom has been gradually exposed to this magic. You can see the state she is in now.’

Layla bit her lip, and nodded.

Tecna and Musa used their magic to move Flora on her bed, while the wizard left the room to go back to the two other fairies. Being in a teenager’s room felt a little bit too weird to him.

Soon, five fairies were in the living room, weirded out by this entire situation, and very afraid about their friend’s health conditions.

‘Now Bloom, I’m going to have to ask you who exactly is doing this to you, and how ?’

‘I don’t know ! I didn’t even feel this thing inside me before…’

The girls exchanged a look, while the wizard sighed.

‘So you have no idea how he was able to do this to you ?’

‘I mean I know when he did that !’ She huffed. ‘I have sessions with him, to help recover my memories about my past… I’m unconscious and locked in my mind, so I don’t really feel anything.’

‘What do you mean, in your mind ?’ He asked, confused.

She blinked, surprised that someone as old and with so much knowledge would be confused at what she just explained.

‘Well he… Just makes me reach my subconscious,’ she said, lightly shaking her head and shrugging at the same time.

Mirroring her from seconds ago, he blinked, but then narrowed his eyes.

‘How, exactly, does he do that ?’

She looked at Stella for support, who nodded her head, a little encouraging smile on her lips and her eyebrows up.

Fidgeting with the hem of her skirt, she looked to the ground, or more so Valtor’s boots, and started talking.

‘Well, he either makes me sit or lie down, and uses his wand, and sometimes those magical orbs to make me reach my subconscious. Then he just says some kind of spell, and I’m in my mind. I either come back by myself, or he makes me if it’s taking too long.’

He narrowed his eyes, before starting pacing in the living room under the concerned eyes of the girls.

‘Your subconscious cannot be reached that easily. Not with a simple incantation, some flying orbs or a wand. You need to be spiritually ready, and it takes weeks, even months to reach such a state.’

‘But I see things ! Right this morning I had this memory about-‘

‘You may _see_ things, and you may remember some parts of your past, but that does not mean it is thanks to him. That does not even mean it is real. Your mind could’ve created such a vision, because you believed so much in the gibberish he told you about.’

‘Now don’t you disrespect him ! He’s been helping me uncover my origins, and is always supporting me ! I don’t understand why _he_ , of all people, would be the bad guy !’

‘Because mean people aren’t always as straightforward as me, or the witches you fought last year.’

He had guessed the fairies were only used to obvious villains, and as such had a hard time to picture someone important in their lives, someone supporting them, being the bad guy. Of course, he’d been right, and he could just how far that belief would end up killing them.

‘This man is simply using your naïveté to its own ends. Putting on a good façade isn’t hard, Bloom. It’s actually quite easy to play with young and innocent minds.’

She shook her head, and put it in her hands.

‘But he’s been teaching us all so well. Third year fairies say that his lessons are far better than the one they had last year !’ Protested Musa.

‘And why wouldn’t he ?’ Asked the wizard in return. ‘I would probably put on the same act. Make you believe I’m helping you, but making sure you don’t know enough to best me.’

They stayed quiet, before Stella’s stomach growled, and they realized the late hour.

Bloom stood up, remembering one thing as the dark thing inside of her started to get agitated.

‘I have to see Professor Avalon tonight !’ She gasped. ‘We have to… talk, or something.’

‘But do you feel like you can go ?’ Asked Layla, grimacing.

‘I… want to be sure,’ nodded Bloom. ‘And we’re just talking, nothing’s going to happen.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m stopping here tonight lovelies.
> 
> So, a lot happened, I hope it’s not too cliché or anything but I had no idea how to do it any other way. So I really hope you like it, and if you have anything to say about what I wrote, please comment ^^


	5. Coming Together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m posting the chapter earlier than usual because why not XD  
> You know what ? After my computer just deleted the last chapter and I had to write it all again, from the beginning… He just gave it back to me. Haha.  
> And I discovered something even worse : for some reason, they changed the Pixies of Musa and Tecna… for no reason. Like what the hell ?! Tune and Digit were the best ! I like Cherie but Cara is just not my thing, especially for Tecna. And I don’t think they go that well together… If anyone understood why they felt the need to change the best pixies, please let me know lmao

The Winx Club, minus Flora, made their way to the cafeteria together.

Conscious she needed to eat more, Bloom tried her best to eat as much as she could under the careful eyes of her friends. Musa proposed she took some tea at the end of the meal, and the red head gladly obliged.

But try as she might, she couldn’t ignore the sensation in her stomach.

It was like a snake, or a giant slug against her backbone, turning around and round inside her. It was eating her slowly, and she had to force herself to finish her cup of tea with a composed face. She honestly had no idea how she could’ve ignored it for so long, but was finally certain that Valtor and her friends weren’t joking around.

When the girls finally explained to her what happened the night before, Bloom couldn’t help but feel bad when she realized her friends had to go behind her back to help her. Because she forgot everything that wasn’t about her professor.

Yet, as she stole a little glance at him, she couldn’t help but think there was a misunderstanding somehow. He helped for so long, and it took so much of his time that surely, he couldn’t be a bad guy. He saved them, and taught them so much.

He caught her looking at him, and sent a little smile her way. He probably thought she was wondering when he would have finished.

‘Bloom, you’re sure you want to be alone… with him ?’

She nodded immediately.

‘Nothing will happen, I promise.’

Stella’s eyes showed her worry, but the read head ignored it.

She wanted answers, and needed to get them as soon as possible.

Her teacher finally got up, and stopped by her side. She nodded towards her friends, and without a word followed him to his office.

Whereas some hours earlier there had been a desk occupying the middle of the room, there were now green sofas around a little table. Her eyebrows shot up, surprised at how quickly he changed the room, before following him to his personal desk.

She took a seat as he sat down in front of her, and she waited.

‘Is everything alright ?’ He asked while sitting down, his eyebrows furrowed in worry.

‘Yes professor, I’m just tired,’ she answered with a yawn.

She wasn’t lying. Her adventures of the day had taken their toll on her, and she felt the need to go under her covers. She wanted to forget about the world and her responsibilities for a moment.

‘Well then, what can you tell me about what you saw ?’

She thought back to what Valtor said. That she might have made up those things.

She shook her head, and stared at the man in front of her.

He would be the one with the answers.

‘I didn’t see much,’ she admitted. ‘But I did hear my mother’s voice sing her lullaby, and then she argued with my sister about something. I also heard a battle far away, and then my sister said something to me before putting me inside the portal towards Earth.’

‘Well that is simply amazing Bloom ! Congratulations, you’re having a lot of results !’ He said with a big contagious smile.

She nodded frantically.

‘Do you want us to try again right now ?’

She stopped breathing.

Of course, she could accept, and maybe learn a little bit more about herself.

Or, if her friends and Valtor were right, this teacher was the one who put this disgusting thing in her, and she would feel it now that she was aware of it.

In the end, she would know the truth.

‘Yes, I would really like that,’ she finally nodded.

‘Very well… Just take a seat in one of the sofas, I won’t take long.’

She stood up and followed his directions, as he searched for his wand.

Making herself comfortable, she smiled when he approached.

Some part of her refused to believe he could somehow want to hurt her. His eyes showed nothing but kindness, and he was always attentive to what she had to say. Other students had also fallen for his good looks, or were simply relieved that his lessons made some kind of sense.

He also saved her from the Trix, and helped her get stronger. She learned so much from him, about herself, her magic or Domino in general. No one had ever done so much for her, and now she had to doubt him.

Although she knew she should trust Layla. She was a Princess, and tried to look out for her Kingdom. She didn’t have something against their Professor, it wouldn’t make any sense. She also wouldn’t go to Valtor for nothing, she hated the simple sight of his face.

When she saw them all together standing in the same room, and Layla wasn’t trying to destroy him already, she knew she would have to trust what they had to say. Because this was a huge effort on her part, especially after all the fights they had, and how close Valtor came to conquering her whole planet.

Bloom even had to admit that, although their friendship wasn’t strong, she still had a place in her heart.

Layla was selfless, and would do anything for those she cared about. Bloom had seen it firsthand when the Andros Fairy jumped into Lord Darkar’s Fortress.

‘Ready ?’

She caught the eyes of her Professor, and for a moment, she stayed frozen. Something inside of her started to tell her to run away, but it would be weird. Instead, she nodded, and forced her whole body to relax.

His eyes narrowed, she noticed, but he quickly turned serious again so she put the thought in the back of her head, and let the magic surround her.

As usual, it felt warm, and when she let go, she found herself in a grey fog.

For some time, she just wandered around.

She felt lonely, and suddenly scared at how uninviting this place truly was.

She overlooked that part before, because she trusted her professor fully, but now she couldn’t help but believe there was something strange about all of it.

Like she did in the morning, she sang her mother’s lullaby, but nothing happened.

It just kept getting colder, something she thought impossible in the realm of her mind.

This rang an alarm in her, and she suddenly knew she had to get back to the real world. Turning around, she quickly found the purple clouds and lightning, and immediately flew towards it.

Her professor took two steps back when she simultaneously opened her eyes and breathed in the air around her, but quickly recovered and took his place at her side, a hand on her shoulder. She didn’t bother to brush it off, but registered how tense he suddenly looked, compared to when they started the session.

Although, she was more focused on the fact that she couldn’t feel the dark thing inside of her anymore. She couldn’t decipher what was her magic, the bit of dark magic she could use, and the slug she felt turning and moving inside her.

Layla had been right. Valtor had been right. Her friends had told her not to go back, but she ignored them, when they were right.

‘Is there something wrong ?’ He asked, worried.

She shook her head slowly, and put her head in her hands, avoiding his gaze.

‘I just got frightened professor, that’s it,’ she admitted.

‘Did you see anything ?’

She shook her head, sighing.

‘No… it was just a feeling.’

He pursed his lips and nodded gravely.

‘Maybe we should stop for some time ? It may be too hard onto your psyche.’

The old Bloom would’ve immediately refused such a proposition, but the present Bloom couldn’t help but take a moment to think everything through. It tipped her professor off, she knew it as she caught sight of his eyes widening for a moment before she quickly looked away.

‘I’ll see how I’m doing by tomorrow,’ she said with conviction

‘Don’t force yourself, alright ? Take the time you need to rest.’

With that sentence, he turned his back to her and went back to his desk.

A little shocked at how quickly she’d been dismissed, Bloom got to her feet and hushed a little “goodbye” to which he didn’t answer, and got out.

She sighed, somehow more relaxed now that she wasn’t in his presence, and walked to her shared bedroom directly. She noticed Valtor was truly gone as she went through the living room, vanishing before the barrier forced him to stay inside the school.

She expected to see some of her friends in her bedroom as they checked Flora’s health. Although she knew the Pixies were already doing a very good job.

But she only found Layla, and a sleeping Pixie on the bed.

‘You had another session with the professor ?’ Immediately asked the Fairy.

‘How do you know ?’

Bloom was quite shocked at how easy it was for Layla to feel the dark magic her professor had seemingly used onto her, without having to even turn around.

She herself couldn’t feel it, and it bothered her to know that it was obvious to someone else.

‘The dark magic around you,’ answered Layla as she shrugged.

‘You can feel it ?’ Immediately asked the red head.

It took the other girl a second. She blinked several times while looking at Bloom, before cocking her head to the side.

‘Well, yeah, it gets more obvious every time. Don’t you feel it ?’

They stared at each other, before the red head looked down and shook her head, letting her body rest against the wall.

‘I don’t feel anything,’ she admitted in a hush. ‘I don’t feel the difference between my magic, and the one that the professor seems to put inside me.’

‘What’s happening ?’ Interrupted Stella as she entered the room.

Bloom slowly turned around to look at her best friend, giving her a tired smile, and Layla hesitantly looked at the blonde too.

‘We’re just talking,’ she eventually answered.

Stella didn’t seem to buy it immediately, but pursed her lips and nodded. She wouldn’t force answers out of her friends when there didn’t seem to be a big problem. Instead, she chose to change the subject.

‘Well, how’s Flora ?’

Layla sighed.

‘As good as can be, I guess. She woke up some time ago, and was really tired but that’s it.’

‘Does she need anything ?’ Asked the red head, feeling guilty.

‘No,’ answered Layla. ‘Tecna and Musa are bringing her some snacks, and I already gave her some water. You need to rest too.’

This last sentence made Bloom’s heart miss a beat, before tears started appearing in her eyes. Something switched in her, and she knew what she had to do.

She had to change something. Being in a cold war with Layla would never help her. She needed her by her side. She wanted her to be her friend, and not just a roommate.

The two other girls immediately panicked, and rushed to her side.

‘What is it Bloom ?’ Asked the blonde.

She shook her head, and smiled.

‘I’m just happy I have you, that’s it,’ she laughed off.

Then, looking at Layla, she took a deep breath in.

‘I have to tell you something,’ she said seriously, with tears rolling down her cheeks.

Her eyebrows shooting up in surprise, Layla nodded.

‘I… made a promise, to Valtor,’ she admitted.

The Princess immediately frowned as she started to step back, before closing her eyes, and shaking her head.

‘I promised I would help him destroy the Ancestral Witches, and immunity from Domino,’ she said with a nod.

Stella gasped, and the other Fairy simply narrowed her eyes.

‘What did he promise you ?’

‘Well,’ started Bloom, her eyes going to the floor as the words refused to get out of her mouth. ‘I made him promise to… stop his attacks on Andros. On everyone. And he promised to help me find my parents.’

She was honestly scared of Layla’s possible reaction.

On one hand, she could thank Bloom, and everything could go well. Or, and that was the most plausible scenario to the red head, she would get angry because it had only taken a few words from the red head to bring back peace over the whole Magical Dimension.

Bloom wouldn’t blame her. She blamed herself already. If she’d known that it would be that easy to stop Valtor’s attacks and evil plans, she would’ve done it as soon as she could. She even asked herself why she didn’t try it immediately after she read about the damages the wizard was doing.

She kept her eyes down, avoiding the eyes of the Andros Fairy in fear of what would eventually happen. That’s why she missed the little smile appearing on Layla’s lips, after a few seconds of shocked silence.

‘I knew we didn’t scare him away like my family wanted to believe,’ she said with a little laugh. ‘And in this case, I must thank you Bloom. It’s good to have my people back.’

Her heart missed a beat again.

‘I’m just… so sad we can’t seem to get along !’ Cried Bloom, never looking up as she clenched her fists. ‘All we do is fight o-or ignore each other, and I just can’t live with that anymore !’

Two arms wrapped up around her, the perfume of her friend surrounding her, as a chest was pressed to her own and she heard a little sob in her ear.

‘I’m just like you ! I just want to be friends ! I was wrong to take my anger out on you because honestly I would’ve done the same, if I’d been you ! I wasn’t thinking straight and I’m just so, so sorry my mistake led up to this mess !’

‘My mistake made a lot of victims, I think I’m the one who should apologize,’ laughed Bloom as she returned the hug.

She felt free, in that moment.

For the first time, it felt like she actually shared something with the Fairy, and it felt good.

‘You know what,’ said Layla as she broke the hug to take a step back. ‘Let’s promise each other to talk things out, instead of keeping everything to ourselves.’

Bloom stared at her friend for some seconds, before a huge grin appeared on her face.

‘Yes !’

They laughed and hugged once again, before a flash of light made them both shut their eyes closed and groan.

Two other Fairies entered the room at this precise moment with surprised faces.

‘What is going on ?’ Asked Tecna.

‘It’s love,’ said the little pixie as she clasped her hands and put them next to her cheek.

‘I would call it friendship Amore,’ said Chatta with a raised eyebrow.

‘It’s love too.’

‘If I’m correct, I would say these were Charmix,’ said Musa.

Layla’s smile got bigger, while the red head simply looked around in confusion.

‘What’s a Charmix ?’

They turned to her with widened eyes, before Stella snapped her fingers.

‘You weren’t in class that week !’ She exclaimed. ‘But Griselda explained that it’s our quest of the year ! But basically, when you overcome one of your personal flaws or a fear that’s holding you back, you earn your Charmix !

‘And what does it do ?’

‘It makes you stronger,’ nodded Tecna. ‘I’m surprised you remembered that Stella.’

The blonde laughed.

‘A magical accessory ? Of course I’d remember it !’

They sighed together, a smile on their lips.

Layla and Bloom faced each other again, happy to realize they were on the same page and that there would be no more useless fighting.

‘I’m sorry to interrupt your little chit-chat,’ intervened Chatta with her arms crossed. ‘But Flora needs something to eat.’

Musa immediately took the grocery bag she brought to the side of her friend’s bed, while Tecna sat on it. The flower Fairy opened her eyes, obviously extremely tired but still had a little smile on her lips.

‘Hi, how are you feeling ?’ Gently asked the pink haired girl.

‘I’m fine,’ she answered with a little cough. ‘I just need to sleep a little more.’

Musa helped her sat up, before bringing a glass of water to her lips.

‘What happened to me ?’

‘Valtor,’ answered Layla. ‘He was trying to do something to Bloom… and you just happened to be affected as well.’

Flora’s eyes widened.

‘Girls ! I never told you what I-‘

‘It’s okay !’ Said Tecna as she put her hands on her friend’s shoulders. ‘Mirta told us.’

Flora calmed down, and gave them a little smile. Musa showed her what they got out of the kitchen, and the flower Fairy started eating.

‘What’s important is how you feel,’ said the blonde Pixie. ‘You can rest, we have everything under control !’

Eventually, they left one by one, until Bloom was the only one left in the room. She watched her friend from the corner of her eyes as she prepared her things for tomorrow, as the flower distractedly ate one of her favorite veggie snacks.

Bloom felt bad that, once again, for being responsible of her friend’s state. Even though she wasn’t really aware of their little excursion, it was for her that her friends went away one night and tried to take down their professor.

‘Bloom ?’

The voice got her out of her thoughts. She hummed happily in response, looking at her friend.

‘Are you okay ?’

Happily, their Pixies were asleep. The red tried to laugh as quietly as she could.

‘Shouldn’t I be the one asking you that ?’

‘I’m okay. Just tired, I swear.’

The red head nodded and walked up to her friend, imitating Tecna earlier and sitting on the edge of her bed.

‘I’m okay Flora, don’t worry. A bit tired, like you, that’s it.’

‘You know, I’m scared.’

Bloom blinked, and once again, felt a wave of guilt hit her, as her throat contracted.

‘I mean, last year we had to fight third year Witches. Now, we have to worry about our professor, and the biggest villain of all time is on the loose,’ she explained, her eyes staring at their window. ‘It’s been so long since there has been any kind of… threat. But right when we start our school year… all of this happens.’

‘I know. It’s my fault. If you weren’t my friend, you wouldn’t be in so much danger.’

Flora blinked, and her eyes found those of her friend.

‘Of course I’d be in danger,’ she said as the red head tilted her head in surprise. ‘Without me, how would the Winx succeed in defeating the Trix ?’

They both stayed quiet for a moment, and then laughed.

‘You’re right !’ Nodded Bloom. ‘We couldn’t do anything without you.’

Flora sighed, glancing at her bonded Pixie who slept soundly.

‘But seriously Bloom, don’t ever think you’re the reason things are so wrong. It’s the Trix and those criminals’ faults. You’re a victim, as much as I am.’

With a little smile, the red head nodded and put her hand on the flower Fairy’s shoulder, preparing to thank her when said friend immediately gasped and shoved her away, as if she’d been burnt.

‘I-I’m sorry ! Did I-‘

‘No ! It’s… It’s just that you’re… burning.’

Bloom inspected herself, but shook her head.

‘I feel fi-You didn’t feel cold.’

They stared at each other, the good mood ruined by the little incident.

The red head eventually asked if her friend needed anything, before making her way back to her own bed, preparing herself to sleep.

Only to be rudely awakened in the night by an almost screaming Stella.

‘What ?’ She asked harshly.

‘Finally !’ Said Musa.

Looking around, the Fire Fairy had the pleasure to discover that all the Winx and Pixies were in the room, looking at her.

‘What’s the matter ?’ She asked groggily.

‘You were transforming in your sleep,’ informed Tecna, her arms crossed.

Bloom shook her head.

‘I wasn’t dreaming of my sister.’

‘You weren’t in your blue clothes either,’ said Stella.

‘What do you mean ?’

Silence fell over them, and eventually it was Lockette who flew up to her, finding her place in the crook of her neck.

‘You were in dark clothes,’ she explained. ‘It looked scary.’

They stayed silent, looking at each other and completely unsure of what to do.

‘We’ll go to the infirmary tomorrow,’ decided Flora from her bed. ‘They’ll think we’re both sick because we live in the same room.’

‘I’ll also bring Valtor back,’ nodded Stella. ‘He’s the only one capable to tell us more.’

‘Or maybe you girls should tell Miss Faragonda about all of this ?’ Intervened Tune, blinking slowly at them.

They all looked at each other.

‘Will she believe us ?’ Wondered Layla aloud.

‘She already knows we have something against Professor Avalon, I’m not sure that we can fully trust her,’ conceded Tecna.

‘But we can try,’ said Bloom. ‘I don’t feel like going to Valtor every time something wrong happens.’

‘But what if she tells Professor Avalon ?’ Asked Flora.

‘Then we’ll have to deal with it,’ answered Musa. ‘I agree with Tune and Bloom, we can’t keep calling that criminal for help.’

They slowly nodded, one by one.

‘Tomorrow, we go to her,’ said Layla. ‘But I have a bad feeling about this.’

‘Everything about this gives a bad feeling,’ shrugged Stella.

* * *

The next morning, the girls made a beeline towards Miss Faragonda office, and were received immediately.

The Headmistress showed her surprise, before inviting them all to sit down.

‘We think Professor Avalon might be doing something to Bloom,’ blurted out Stella.

Replacing her glasses on her knows, Miss Faragonda nodded before encouraging them to keep talking. Her eyes, however, clearly expressed how much she doubted their words.

‘He’s putting dark magic inside of me, and I don’t know why,’ explained Bloom. ‘He’s doing it during our… sessions. An-and I transformed in my sleep again, but not in my reg-‘

‘Bloom,’ stopped the Headmistress as her eyes closed. ‘How can you be certain that there is dark magic inside of you ?’

The red head blinked, and glanced at her friends.

‘Well… I felt it.’

‘You felt it ?’

The both of them stared at each other, before Layla cleared her throat.

‘I felt it too.’

‘It was especially strong when Professor Avalon brought her back to our dorm,’ nodded Flora, still extremely pale.

Miss Faragonda sighed, before looking at the girl one by one, a look of disapproval on her face.

‘It’s too early for this kind of joke girls-‘

‘It’s not a joke !’ Suddenly said Stella, slamming both of her hands on the desk. ‘Flora touched his pendant, and she’s been almost dying because of the dark magic inside it !’

‘How did she come across it ?’ Asked the Headmistress, her eyes narrowing.

Flora looked down, embarrassed.

‘I was… with the girls that night. But I stayed behind to… investigate. His room. Alone.’

‘And why didn’t you go to the infirmary, if your situation was so critic ?’

It took a moment for the six girls to register her words, and none of them could come up with the right answer. Stella eventually pushed herself back up, her shoulders going down as if she lost the little hope she still had.

‘I’m sorry girls,’ said their Headmistress as she shook her head. ‘But you can’t come in here and expect me to believe that one of our best professors is trying to do… something to you.’

‘But Miss, if you just checked Bloom for-‘

‘I will not encourage such an improper behavior,’ said the older Fairy. ‘You should all go back to class, and stop this nonsense. I don’t want to hear about it anymore.’

Clenching her fists, Bloom felt the pain of the betrayal go through her suddenly, and she turned on her heels and exited the office, closely followed by a fuming Stella and an angry Musa. Tecna made sure to help Flora get up, while Layla casted a last glance at their director before closing the door.

‘How can she-‘

‘Not here Stella,’ said the Andros Fairy, leading them all to the cafeteria.

Silently, they followed and sat down without uttering a word, letting the happy voices of the other students fill the air.

‘I-‘

Musa casted a dark glare at Stella when she felt the blow in her leg, before said blonde looked down and a shadow was casted onto their table.

Turning around, she saw Professor Avalon looking at them with regret in his eyes, before he sighed and made his way to the teachers table. Bloom felt paralyzed, while Flora put her head in her hands and Stella gritted her teeth.

‘She told him everything,’ said a little voice from under the table.

‘Lockette !’ Hushed Bloom when she realized her Pixie had been there all the time.

‘How can you be sure ?’ Immediately asked Musa.

‘Because we listened to their entire conversation,’ said another little voice.

‘Digit, but how could you-‘

‘The computer Tecna,’ answered the Pixie with a smile. ‘I was able to get into Miss Faragonda’s system thanks to Lockette, she found the password in less than a minute ! We were able to listen to everything !’

‘And ?’ Pressed Stella.

‘It was really weird,’ said Lockette. ‘They said that they needed to find a way to make sure the plan worked correctly, if they didn’t want their Lord to be unhappy.’

‘Their Lord ?’ Repeated Flora.

‘As in Lord Darkar ? Or did Valtor pick up a new name ?’ Tried to guess Layla.

‘It was really quick. Miss Faragonda just said he would have to be more careful, especially of Flora,’ explained Digit. ‘And then she dismissed him.’

They sighed and exchanged a look.

‘Just what the heck is going on ?’

Stella’s question was never answered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo… I hope you like it.  
> In the end, Valtor wasn’t there. It was just too cliché this time XD  
> I’m going to try and involve the Pixies as much as I can. Honestly, as a kid, I never really liked them and now that I’m older, I understand that it’s because they aren’t really useful. Even if they do have their really good moments (like Lockette kissing Bloom’s cheek to bring her back), they also are really just something made to have more things to sell to kids.  
> So I’m keeping Digit and Tune (obviously), maybe Cherie and the other one will make an appearance but I’m really not a fan of them and don’t understand the sudden change.  
> So… yeah. Comment, I always like some good critic !


	6. The Codex

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I recently went through my old mail box (and by extension the fanfiction account I use to subscribe to stories) and realized… I’m following What We Do (a very, very good fanfiction I recommend to any Sparxshipper fan) since 2015. Since chapter 3, to be exact.  
> It’s crazy how much time has passed, but this is still a part of my life. One of the numerous stories that helped me have a better English.  
> But that also means that since 2015, I’m searching for some Sparxshipping fanfiction, when there is almost none XD Four years of torture lmao  
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy this little chapter ^^

The day turned out to be exhausting mentally.

It started with Palladium’s class, who made a point to ask every question at either Stella or Bloom. The first was at a complete loss, and ended the class with her hair in front of her face to hide from the shame, while the latter was just too tired to even react at anything thrown her way.

After those two hours of humiliation where Musa and Tecna tried to save their friends, they slowly made their way to Avalon’s class.

Flora eventually reached out to Layla for help, as she realized she was too weak to make it to the next corridor on her own.

Stella almost skipped, and Musa barely convinced her to stay, before they prepared for the next lesson, and to receive the same treatment from the professor they now knew they had to suspect about something.

But, surprisingly enough, he didn’t seem interested in any of the six girls.

He never once looked in Bloom’s direction, who still made an effort to participate despite everything that already happened. Stella received this treatment gladly, and focused on drawing something.

Flora fought for about thirty minutes, but eventually gave up and ended up falling asleep on her desk, while Layla tried to keep her cool. As for Musa and Tecna, they still wrote down the lessons, and did their best to forget about the strange silent treatment they were suddenly receiving.

The lesson had to end, and they all scurried off as quick as they could and towards the cafeteria.

‘You okay Flora ?’ Asked Musa as she saw her friend slowly falling asleep.

‘I need to go to the infirmary,’ she whispered.

Layla nodded at them and led her away.

They noticed the weird looks they were getting from the other students. They were the Winx, after all, and if they never took advantage of their popularity after defeating the witches, the other students respected them a lot.

But now, they only saw four of them as one seemed too weak to even finish a day of classes, and the others didn’t look much better. The fashion fairy had her head low, holding hands with her best friend whose gaze stayed blank, following the technology fairy with crossed arms and an angry brunette.

No one came close to where they sat in the cafeteria, and they ate in complete silence until their two friends came back.

‘What are you doing here ?’ Asked Tecna.

‘They wouldn’t let her rest. Apparently Ms. Faragonda thinks she’s faking or something,’ said Layla as she helped her friend sit down.

‘Maybe she should skip then ?’ Proposed Musa, eyeing her friend with sad eyes.

‘No,’ said the flower fairy as she shook her head. ‘I’m going to finish this day… I can do it.’

They didn’t say anything, but they silently agreed that the five of them would’ve to keep their eyes on her, in case anything happened.

Then, their group was split in two as they went into their last classes of the day. Flora held her head as high as she could, while Stella ignored what came her way. Musa tried to stay calm, while Bloom felt her mind go blank every time she thought about Professor Avalon, and Layla mostly played with her school stuff until the end.

Tecna, though, kept a close eye on every teacher that seemed to suddenly be against their group. She hoped to find something, a clue, to understand what exactly was going on.

As they filled the dorm room, it was clear they needed to discuss the situation, but with one look at each other they understood some of them were simply too tired to think about anything. Flora had already made her way to her bed, and Stella sighed as she, too, went to sleep, sending an apologetic text to her boyfriend.

Bloom took a hot shower to process everything that happened, before closing the curtains in her bedroom, listening to the other girls’ conversation until she fell asleep.

Tecna had invited Lockette and Digit to join them, as the other Pixies went to sleep too.

‘We need to figure out what’s going on,’ nodded Layla.

‘Yeah but we have nothing,’ said Musa as she crossed her arms. ‘We know Flora saw… _something_ when she touched the professor’s necklace, and there’s something weird going on with Faragonda.’

‘And every other professor. Palladium was… aggressive,’ said the pink haired girl.

‘Yeah I never saw him take it out onto Stella that much,’ nodded Layla.

‘So, who could it be ?’ Wondered Musa as she looked to the ceiling. ‘I don’t think Valtor’s the one who does all that but…’

‘Lord Darkar seems the most likely candidate,’ nodded Layla. ‘Valtor likes to be obvious. And for some reason, our Professor was in Lord Darkar’s Fortress when we rescued the Pixies. He never even gave us a clear explanation for that.’

‘And that would be why they call him “Lord”,’ muttered Digit. ‘But why would Faragonda work for him ?’

‘Why would our Professor work for Lord Darkar ?’ Added Musa.

They sighed at the same time.

‘And why would Lord Darkar be interested in working with Ms. Faragonda ?’ Asked Lockette. ‘What can she offer him ?’

‘Or what can he offer her ?’ Countered Chatta as she got out from her room. ‘I couldn’t sleep, and I overheard you talking.’

They nodded.

‘Maybe he promised her she or every student of Alfea would be safe from him when his evil plan would be done ?’ Proposed Amore as she, too, exited her room.

‘What plan ?’ Asked Tecna.

It lasted a second, but the three girls saw the look on the Pixies’ faces.

Amore bit her lip.

‘Ms. Faragonda told us not to tell you,’ she admitted. ‘But… I think you have to know.’

‘Yeah she’s weird, and I don’t feel like trusting her anymore,’ nodded Chatta.

‘What are you talking about ?’ Angrily whispered Musa, trying to keep her calm.

Digit looked at Lockette, who gripped the edges of her dress.

‘Well… There is something called… Codex,’ she admitted.

When the Fairies didn’t react, she continued.

‘It’s supposed to open a portal to the Realix Dimension… Lord Darkar wants to get inside it to steal the power sealed there.’

‘Why didn’t you tell us sooner ?’ Asked Layla with widened eyes. ‘And where is this Codex thing ?’

‘It’s in the Pixie Village, right ?’ Blinked Musa. ‘That’s why you were captured and can’t go back ?’

The four Pixies nodded.

‘But the thing is, there are four parts of this Codex. The dark phoenix doesn’t know that yet,’ said Chatta with angry eyes. ‘But as soon as he gets one, he’ll understand he needs more.’

‘Or maybe he already knows but doesn’t know where the rest is ?’ Supposed Amore.

‘Oh he knows,’ said Tune as she got out, eyeing the group disapprovingly. ‘Don’t you understand why Ms. Faragonda is on his side ?’

The group shook its head as one as they kept staring at the Pixie who could only sigh.

‘It’s because one part of the Codex is probably here, in Alfea.’

It took a few seconds for the information to register, and a bad feeling to appear in their stomach.

‘So, you mean to say that one, very powerful artefact is in this very school, as we talk ?’ Asked Musa, looking at her bonded Pixie with worry.

Tune simply nodded.

‘But where ?’ Asked Layla. ‘I mean, where could you possibly hide something that important ? Why inside a school ?’

‘Maybe there’s a secret room ?’ Shrugged Digit.

‘I may have an idea,’ suddenly said Lockette.

Everyone turned to look at her, but a scream interrupted them.

‘It came from Bloom and Flora’s bedroom,’ said Tecna as she stood up.

They barged inside the room, to find the red head in dark clothes again and sweat dripping down her face as she screamed, and an unbothered Flora.

‘What do we do ?!’ Panicked Lockette.

‘We wake her up,’ decided Layla as she got close.

She took the Fairy by her shoulders, and started shaking her restlessly.

‘I don’t think that’ll work,’ said Tecna as she narrowed her eyes.

‘And what’s your idea ?’ Asked the Andros Fairy as she kept going.

‘You may want to step back’, said the technology Fairy.

Layla did as instructed, as the pink haired snapped her fingers, and a shadow appeared above Bloom’s face, before water came crashing down on her face. This made the Fire Fairy open her eyes, and take a deep breath as she finally awakened.

Layla helped her sat up.

‘What happened ? Did… I…’

Looking at her hands, she realized she wasn’t in her pyjamas. Or in clothes she even remembered buying.

‘That’s what happened last night,’ explained Tecna. ‘You transformed into… this.’

She gestured with her hands at her body, her face full of confusion.

After a few seconds, Bloom decided to touch the fabric, but didn’t notice anything different from what she was used to. She tested her wings, and again, didn’t notice anything different as she tried to fly around in the room. She eventually had to stop, and simply called off the transformation.

‘Great,’ muttered Musa, acknowledging they would need to solve that problem too.

‘Try transforming again,’ said Layla, cocking her head to the side.

Bloom sighed, but did as ordered and found herself in her normal, blue attire, with her regular wings. Once again, everything felt normal, and she could only stare at her friends.

‘I don’t understand… is that normal ?’

The three girls before her shook their heads.

‘I’ve never heard of a fairy having two basic transformations,’ admitted Layla while looking at her two other friends.

‘Yeah me neither,’ nodded Musa.

‘It seemed as sparkly as what we regularly see,’ said Tecna. ‘But it felt more…’

‘Witchy ?’ Suggested Musa.

The pink haired girl nodded.

‘But Witches don’t have wings ?’ Asked Layla.

‘The Trix sure didn’t seem to need need them,’ acknowledged Musa.

‘But Ms. Faragonda doesn’t use them either,’ pointed out Bloom.

When all eyes turned to her, she pursued.

‘Remember when there was this monster, attacking our dreams and draining us of our energy ? She flew out of the window without being transformed.’

‘But she’s a very powerful Fairy,’ said Layla as she crossed her arms. ‘With a lot of experience.’

‘Or maybe she learned from some Witch ?’ Supposed Musa. ‘After all, I bet it’s not that difficult if first years can do it.’

‘We’ll have to ask Mirta,’ nodded Tecna. ‘But the problem remains. Why would you transform, in your sleep ?’

‘Maybe the magic the professor put inside of her ?’ Suggested a little voice.

‘Flora ?’ Asked Layla as they all turned to look at the bed where the flower Fairy was resting.

‘Yeah I’m awake,’ she said in her pillow. ‘But it’d make sense right ?’

A silence followed her question, before the girls eventually nodded.

‘Yes, that would make perfect sense,’ said Musa. ‘And if it’s dark magic, maybe it’s corrupting your transformation or something like that.’

‘We’ll have to ask Mirta,’ added Layla. ‘If a Witch can transform, or if she had problems…’

‘Or Ms. Griffin ?’ Suggested Tecna. ‘After all, she must know a lot more than a barely graduated first year Witch.’

‘And then there’s Valtor,’ reminded Musa. ‘As much as I don’t want to go to him, he seems to have answers.’

Layla hummed, looking away from her friends with clear distraught on her face, and Bloom’s heart ached to reassure the Princess that everything would be fine. But words wouldn’t be enough, and they all knew it.

Musa only gave Layla’s shoulder a little squeeze.

‘We’ll go to Mirta first,’ decided Tecna, a plan ready in her head. ‘Then, we’ll go to Ms. Griffin if she’s free. But if we don’t have anything, we’ll be forced to find Valtor and ask him for more information.’

‘Especially if you transform every night,’ added Musa. ‘You’re already extremely tired, and we cannot let you suffer like this. You need to rest.’

Their eyes went back to Flora, who had fallen back asleep at some point, and Bloom nodded.

‘We should go to bed too,’ said Layla. ‘Judging by how today went down, tomorrow isn’t going to be any fun.’

They all walked away, before Bloom suddenly called for them.

Panic flew through their veins, and they immediately turned back to see the red head tightening her fists, and looking to the ground.

‘I just wanted to thank you girls for… being there for me. It means a lot.’

The three girls nodded, a little smile on their lips.

‘We know you’d do the same without hesitating,’ nodded Musa.

Bloom thanked them again, before they all went their separate ways and tried to rest before the next day of class.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know. There’s almost nothing happening in this chapter. But I honestly have been so busy this week that I didn’t have time to write much except yesterday and today, and I really wanted to post something.  
> So here it is. They’re starting to understand what’s going on, but it’s still a big blurr. I still think this chapter is important, but I would’ve liked to add some more.  
> Well, anyway, that’ll be for next week.  
> As always, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and comment as much as you want to tell me what you thought of it !


	7. Cloud Tower

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, in this chapter we’re gonna dive into something I really wanted to expand, and is going to be useful in the future. It’s totally not canon. But I had to give an explanation, and I wanted to introduce some characters so… yeah, enjoy ^^

The rest of the week had been terrible, and the girls welcomed the weekend with opened arms. They would have two days of calm, where they would be able to investigate as much as they wished. The days had been too exhausting to try anything, except talking to Mirta.

The new Fairy had been surprised when Stella and Layla all but cornered her after classes and asked her questions about her past as a Witch. Obviously, the red head had been scared that she’d done something wrong, but Flora interrupted the little interrogation and invited Mirta for tea in her room.

A bit more confident, the red head accepted and the Winx were able to learn to fly without their wings, or at least the theory of it. Flora mastered it quickly, and Bloom somewhat lifted herself off her chair, but nothing more. After all, what she was taught in Cloud Tower required negative energy, something Fairies never learned to control, especially not in Alfea.

Mirta could fathom the idea that Fairies could use their positive energy to fly without their wings, but had absolutely no idea how. She supposed it took too much energy, or simply wasn’t relevant when they could transform in less than a second. She hadn’t tried it herself, so she could only shrug when this question was asked.

The girls thanked her, and everybody left the room to let Flora and Mirta have a little talk.

Tecna had also succeeded and announced to her friends that they would see Ms. Griffin on Saturday, in the early afternoon. She made sure to tell the Headmistress that no one should know, and the Witch agreed, a mischievous smile on her lips.

They all left Alfea on this day, while their friends were eating and caught the first bus they could as the rain poured outside.

‘Should we just tell her everything ?’ Asked Flora.

‘What if she’s working for this… Lord ?’ Whispered Stella.

‘We won’t ask her or even mention that,’ interrupted Tecna firmly. ‘We’ll simply ask her if she knows anything about what’s happening to Flora and Bloom, and if Fairies can fly without wings. That’s it, then we’re gone.’

The girls were silent after this, the stress settling itself in their stomachs, and they watched as everything around them grew cold and dark : the results of the dark magic around the Witch’s school. Nothing could grow near their castle, and no one wished to settle near a school of troublemakers like them.

It was such a big contrast to Alfea, and none of them could say they envied the Witches’ environment. As they got off the bus, Layla realized that even the wind was affected when she watched the black drops fall on her hand.

Flora intertwined their arms and led her to the entrance of the school.

The gates were opened, and they could make out the unmistakable silhouette of the Headmistress in the darkness.

She welcomed them coldly, looking at them with narrowed eyes, before turning around and walking away.

She led them through the maze that was Cloud Tower, before eventually reaching her office. She let the girls enter quickly, and made sure no one could listen on their conversation before sitting down on her chair.

Ms. Griffin then raised an expecting eyebrow at the six girls, although her eyes lingered on the flower Fairy, and waited.

Without any introduction, Tecna started asking her questions.

‘First, we would like to know if it is possible for a Fairy to fly without her wings ?’

The Witch smiled at the boldness of the student, then shrugged.

‘We can, I don’t see why you couldn’t.’

Silence fell over them, before Tecna changed the subject entirely in order to avoid raising any suspicion.

‘We’re also here because two of our friends have been infected by dark magic,’ stated Tecna while the professor snorted.

‘Dark magic ?’ She asked. ‘Is that how you Fairies call it ?’

None of the girls dared to answer, and they simply stared at the teacher, or looked at the shelves around them. Eventually, the old Witch sighed, a familiar smirk on her lips.

‘What do you call it ?’ Asked Layla, trying to look at the Headmistress in the eyes.

‘Negative energy ? Bad spells ? Mischief ? There is no such thing as dark magic. All that matters, is what you use to fuel your spells, and what you do with them. How come you didn’t learn that in that pretty pink school of yours ?’

The girls stayed silent, finding something else to look at.

‘Continue,’ ordered the Headmistress as she stared at Tecna.

‘We don’t know what to do about it,’ admitted the girl. ‘Our Headmistress doesn’t believe that anything is happening to Flora, here, and Bloom just… it’s weird.’

The Headmistress narrowed her eyes, suddenly sitting taller in her chair.

‘You come to me, when even your own Headmistress told you it’s unimportant ? Are you trying to make me lose my time ?’

‘No !’ Immediately answered Musa. ‘Ms. Faragonda didn’t even listen to us ! She forbade Flora from going to the infirmary when she couldn’t even stay awake for an hour straight ! And all our professors just started acting… weird… I don’t kn-‘

‘Enough.’

It was calm, but it shut the music Fairy down at once as she lowered her gaze automatically.

‘That doesn’t sound like the Ms. Faragonda I know, and I won’t let you insult the teaching staff of Alfea who has proved times and times again their talents and professionalism. If you girls think this is funny, then maybe you should change school.’

Bloom stepped away from the group, too tired to argue, and simply closed her eyes as she focused onto her anger, despair, and confusion. She felt the energy flow through her veins before it exploded around her and she felt the change, just as she usually did when she transformed into her normal Fairy form.

She opened her eyes to stare at a speechless Headmistress.

‘We’re not lying,’ said Tecna. ‘We’re just at a loss.’

It took a moment, but the professor eventually composed herself, and cleared her throat to talk to all of them, even if her eyes were still onto Bloom.

‘Has she seen…’

She trailed off, and the girls were left to assume she was talking about the strange transformation the red head suddenly obtained.

‘No, I didn’t know how to transform into… this, last time.’

‘But she saw Flora sick, and didn’t even blink,’ repeated Musa.

Something changed in the eyes of the Witch. The anger and shock from before had completely faded and instead, she looked very serious. It made the girls worry, as the only time they ever saw her like this had been last year, when they were all fighting against the Trix and their army.

‘How did you… transform into this ?’

Bloom glanced at her friends, unsure, but they sent her reassuring smiles. Bravery coursed through her veins, and she stood taller as she looked into the Headmistress’ eyes.

‘I don’t know. My friends woke me up a couple of times, and I looked like this. I only recently understood how to turn into this form and… well, I don’t know why exactly this is happening to me… but we have a theory.’

‘A theory ?’

The tone wasn’t judgemental, or mocking.

Ms. Griffin was taking them seriously now, and the red head didn’t know if she should feel relieved, or completely panicked.

‘Yes. There’s a new professor in our school, and when he learned about my past, he offered to help,’ she explained. ‘Of course, I immediately agreed. I wanted answers about my past… but then my friends noticed something strange was happening.’

She nodded towards Layla, who got the message and looked back at the Witch.

‘I was the first one to notice something strange. I lived on Andros when Valtor was still trying to take over my Kingdom, and… I don’t know why, but I could feel something that felt like his magic on Bloom.’

‘Are you saying your professor has something to do with Valtor ?’ Screeched the Witch as she stood up in alarm.

‘No !’ Immediately answered the Princess. ‘I simply felt dark ma-energy, b-but I didn’t know what it was so I just assumed it was what I felt on her !’

The professor calmed down immediately and composed herself, before sitting back down.

‘But you’re still saying that this professor had ill intentions towards your friend ?’

‘Yes. But we really realized something was wrong when he had to personally bring her back to our dorm…’

‘And it reeked of dark energy,’ finished Flora. ‘It was suffocating.’

‘You two felt it ?’

Both girls nodded.

‘We were both there when he brought her back, and we felt the magic go away as soon as he was out,’ explained the fluids Fairy.

Nodding, the eyes of the Witch lost focus for a moment as she dived into her own thoughts.

‘You girls have no idea what that kind of transformation is ?’

First the Winx shared a look, then shook their heads together in complete confusion. It was the reason they were here, after all.

The Witch sighed, but didn’t seem surprised at all.

‘Of course you don’t,’ she muttered. ‘Let me show you a little something.’

Closing her eyes, she disappeared from their view as a ball of light suddenly appeared above the desk. It darkened a little, and shadows appeared. It was blurry, at first, but they eventually started recognizing streets, buildings and even carriages.

People appeared, dressed in an old fashion : while men had very plain but formal clothes, the women were dressed in different gowns, covering everything from their neck to their ankles with colours so sad it made Stella’s nose twitch.

‘A long time ago, magic was a prohibited art, considered dangerous and wicked.’

The pictures moved, and suddenly, the same buildings from before were destroyed, and fire was everywhere. Everyone seemed to be running for their lives, in every direction possible. Not a single carriage in the street was still standing, and horses were stuck on the ground while everything fell apart around them.

‘But the Great War happened, and we needed something to fight back darkness.’

Smoke covered the light, before a giant battlefield was suddenly shown. Men in armours were running with their swords in the air, or standing back and aiming with arrows while creatures of humanoid appearance, made from something dark, stood on the other side of the field and waited patiently.

But when the image jumped, only the shadow army was left standing, while men were on the ground. Their eyes widened, while shock spread through them.

‘When Magix lost too much, women had to find something to do, and eventually decided to try using magic.’

The battlefield got blurry for a second, allowing a small change to take place : the men were now standing, waiting in lines, and above them, women in dark Fairy outfits, just like Bloom’s, were flying.

‘This was the first-time magic was considered useful, and the ancestors to Witches and Fairies were born.’

Men started aiming, and running, while the women above them started using the elements to attack their enemies. A ray of sunshine cut through the black clouds, burning the shadow creatures, while nature seemed to have a life on its own and vines angrily swept through their bodies.

‘We called them Hægtesses. They used their powers for very pure intentions, such as saving their families, but were full of hate and wanted nothing else but revenge.’

The picture changed once again, and the battlefield was now sunny, full of men and women shouting and rejoicing, drinking and dancing.

‘This victory was the first of many and of course, we came out victorious of this war, marking it as the first day of our calendar.’

Bloom was gaping at so much information. Never in a hundred years had she heard of something called the Great War, or Hægtesses. Even this army of darkness didn’t ring a bell.

‘Centuries passed, and the world watched as Hægtesses divided into two kinds.’

One part of the picture became dark, while the other stayed white, and women on both sides were smiling at each other, although their styles contrasted. On the darker side, women were dressed in long, dark dresses with black lipstick and their hair in strange and complicated coiffures. On the other side, women were dressed in shorter, lighter and colourful dresses, with their hairs in messy buns or ponytails.

‘Wiccas and Faes. Two unique schools with different views on magic, but no hatred towards each other. They simply shared and explored possibilities.’

As if pages were turning, the picture became blurred.

‘But thousands of years have passed, and we lost this friendliness for some reason.’

A more recent picture appeared, and the girls winced as they realized it was supposed to represent their era.

‘Witches and Fairies can’t get along nowadays, and Hægtesses are nothing but a forgotten concept.’

The light subdued, and they stared at the Headmistress.

‘Those… ancient Fairies have completely disappeared ?’ Asked Flora, unsure of her own question.

‘Yes, and no,’ answered the Witch. ‘There is only one school left for them, the Beta Academy.’

‘I heard it was a school for Fairies ?’ Asked Layla.

‘Yes, but it also welcomes Wizards, Witches and Hægtesses, or Sorceresses.’

‘Sorceresses ?’ Repeated the blonde.

‘That’s the name they like to go by now,’ nodded the Headmistress, as her eyes went back to the red head. ‘I would suggest you ask them directly for information, as I have very little knowledge about anything related to it. I didn’t even know Fairies could have two basics transformations.’

‘We didn’t either,’ muttered Musa as she crossed her arms.

Bloom simply released her transformation, and nodded gratefully at the Witch.

‘You said you had a problem too ?’

Flora’s cheeks immediately reddened, and she nodded.

‘I touched something, from that professor we talked to you about and… Since then, I just have this… dark energy growing inside me.’

‘Growing ? What do you mean ?’

Looking down, Flora focused on her magical core, trying to differentiate her normal magic and the darkness.

‘It’s… melting into me ? I… can’t really explain it but it’s as if it’s a part of me now, stitched to me.’

Sighing, the Headmistress shook her head, and the Winx all saw how really tired she was. It was gone the next second, as she stared at the flower Fairy again.

‘I don’t think I can help you either. You should both go to the Beta Academy as soon as possible. I can only teach Witch lessons, and you are welcomed in this school anytime, but I don’t know how helpful Witchcraft could be to you.’

The Winx nodded and thanked the professor repeatedly. Ms. Griffin brushed them off, and stood up.

‘I’m only doing my job, and if that is all, I will have to leave.’

They nodded once again, and the Witch led them outside.

They found Lucy, Mirta’s childhood friend, waiting for them with arms crossed and a frown. She didn’t move when she saw her Headmistress, only nodding towards her.

‘Remember what I said. This school will welcome any of you if you wish to learn the basics of Witchcraft, but I have a feeling you may feel better in the Beta Academy.’

They prepared to thank her once again, but she turned her back to them and walked away.

‘Just follow Lucy. I have things to do.’

The student only snorted before walking away too, obviously not in the mood to wait for them, and used to this kind of behaviour.

As they walked through the long corridors, they realized how quiet the school was now that their minds were a little bit more at ease. There never seemed to be any student in the corridors, unlike in Alfea. The few they saw were making their way somewhere, fast, and only spared them a quick glare before disappearing inside another corridor.

‘So… how’s Mirta ?’ Suddenly asked the student Witch.

‘She’s fine, she’s made friends and is very hard working,’ answered Flora with a smile.

‘I guess that’s good for a Fairy,’ she muttered before falling back into silence.

‘Why do you like to be a Witch ?’

Stella’s question took her friends off-guard, leaving them to hope the Witch wouldn’t feel insulted.

Lucy laughed, but didn’t turn back.

‘Why do you like to be a Fairy ?’

‘Because I know I’m gonna have to protect my Kingdom someday,’ answered the blonde with confidence. ‘Being a Witch wouldn’t suit me anyway, too much darkness…’

‘You like being a Fairy because you’re happy and you make friends,’ interrupted the Witch. ‘You always have hope, and you always see the good side of everything. That’s why you like it so much. That’s why Mirta likes it.’

‘Are you saying you’re always unhappy and don’t like anyone ?’ Asked Layla, her tone surprisingly respectful.

‘No,’ snorted the Witch. ‘I like my friends. And I’m happy, I guess, but I get angry easily. And I don’t plan on doing anything for anyone else. I don’t feel like fighting anybody’s war anytime soon. So really, how bad of a Fairy would I be ?’

‘And how’s Amaryl ?’ Asked Stella, trying not to frown when she said her name.

‘Oh well, she’s a great Witch. She still spends too much time in Alfea, but most of her friends are there so I guess that’s an explanation.’

‘Do you like her ?’

‘She’s fun, for a Fairy.’

The conversation ended as the Witch turned around to look at them, and the girls realized they were standing in front of the main gates.

‘How do you know your way in this school anyway ?’ Asked the blonde once again.

‘You learn.’

She was gone before they could even thank her, and they slowly exited the school. They were glad it had stopped raining, although the menacing clouds above them hinted that a storm may be coming their way. Hastily, they all made their way to the bus station, just as one arrived, taking them back to their own school.

‘Hægnesse huh ?’ Said Stella as she sat next to Bloom.

‘I think it’s Hægtesse,’ interrupted Musa while watching Flora with a careful eye. ‘And we’re not even sure.’

‘We still have next week to get in this Beta Academy,’ said the blonde with a pout.

‘I’m surprised we never heard of such a thing before,’ muttered the brunette with her eyes closed.

‘Yeah me too,’ nodded Layla. ‘I mean, it’s basic information, right ?’

‘But if only one school teaches it, it may be for a reason ?’ Suggested Flora.

‘You think it’s dangerous ?’ Asked Bloom.

‘Well, maybe ? I don’t know.’

‘Well, look who’s here !’ Screamed a voice they all knew perfectly well.

‘Brendon !’ Yelled back Stella as she watched the group of boys get on the bus.

Bloom nodded at the blonde, who immediately stood up to hug and kiss her boyfriend, while Sky took her seat. Riven and Helia simply stood in front of Flora and Musa, while Timmy awkwardly stood in the way to get closer to Tecna.

Layla sighed and let him take her place, walking over to the two standing Specialists.

‘So, what are the news ?’ Asked Riven, his eyes on Musa.

The brunette clapped her hands, getting the attention of everyone, as the red-haired man smirked.

‘I forgot to tell you all ! But there’s a concert to celebrate the end of the Red Fountain’s annual tournament, and I’ve been invited to sing something I wrote !’

‘Girl ! Why didn’t you tell us right away ?’ Asked Layla with a big smile on her face, as the others started to congratulate her as well.

The rest of the trip was uneventful, but it gave them the time to bond a little more. Stella and Brendon obviously did not wish to separate again, but once in front of Alfea, she had no choice left.

‘C’mon, you’ll see your knight in shining armour again,’ laughed Bloom as she dragged her friend off the bus, waving at Sky.

The rest of the girls laughed, before they felt the rain starting to fall again, and hurried back to their dorm. While Tecna and Layla got ready for their showers, Stella suddenly felt like working on her dressing again, when Flora’s question interrupted them.

‘When’s this big celebration ?’

‘In three months,’ Sighed Musa. ‘But it’ll happen before I know it, and I want to be ready. I have something special planned and… well, you’ll see.’

She winked, and disappeared in her bedroom. Tecna simply shrugged, and followed Layla out of their dorm room. Flora smiled as she saw Bloom and Stella chatting animatedly over something, glad things were starting to get back to the way they used to be when they had less problems to worry about.

‘So, you thought you could hide it from me ?’ Said a little voice behind her.

‘Chatta ?’ Asked the Fairy as she turned around.

‘I saw you, in the bus, with this mystery man with long black hair.’

Flora laughed.

‘You mean Helia ? He’s just a friend.’

‘This is Helia ?’

‘Yes,’ answered the flower Fairy with a smile. ‘Stop looking at my phone.’

‘Holidays are next week ! You could get to know him !’

‘I have other things on my mind, honestly,’ sighed Flora, looking tiredly at her Pixie.

‘Oh no Miss ! You won’t fool me !’

Groaning, the girl made her way to her bedroom and slammed the door before the Pixie could enter.

‘I know you can hear me !’ She screamed through the door. ‘This conversation is not over ! Come back !’

Thanking the Nymphs that Musa had offered her brand-new earphones, Flora played some music, and quickly fell deep into her own thoughts.

This day had been exhausting, and she couldn’t help but replay Ms. Griffin’s words in her head.

“Hægtesse”.

This word didn’t sound familiar, nor reassuring, but she was desperate to find something explaining her current situation. The dark magic, or energy as the Witch liked to call it, was not going away.

In fact, it seemed to grow inside of her. As if it was her own magic. She could feel it becoming a part of her, and had no idea how to get rid of it, or if that even was a possibility. But she couldn’t keep it up.

It made her angry, and different from who she used to be. She tried to keep up the façade as best as she could, but felt herself cracking now and then. Some days, she just wanted to fly away from everything, and never look back.

She loved her friends too much, though. She couldn’t disappear like that, as she was sure to regret her actions. But it was still an idea that danced in her head from time to time, especially when things got too hard.

Chatta was nice, but she just couldn’t think of a guy right now. Helia seemed nice, and they had a lot in common, but she couldn’t picture herself in a relationship. She couldn’t understand how Stella managed it, or how Musa kept thinking of Riven. Even Tecna seemed to be alright with Timmy.

But she would stay on the solo side. She would wait until she felt ready.

* * *

‘So, we know Faragonda may use Witchcraft to fly without her wings’

‘Although she may use her good energy to do so,’ nodded Flora.

‘We also know that Bloom may be some…’

‘Hægtesse,’ said Layla.

‘But we still have no idea what’s inside of Bloom,’ finished Stella.

‘And that is the root of our problem. As long as we don’t know what’s inside you or who is up to this, we don’t know what Flora really saw when she had her vision, and why she has this source of darkness inside her,’ completed Musa.

‘Of course, I’ll try to set up something with the Beta Academy,’ said Tecna. ‘For next weekend, because their school closes for the holidays.’

The girls hummed, but stayed silent as they slowly started to look at Bloom, who could only sigh.

‘We’ll have to ask Valtor for help,’ she finally conceded. ‘But I don’t want him back here, you hear me ? I don’t know what you girls were thinking.’

‘We wanted you and Flora safe,’ answered Layla, her tone suddenly cold.

Both girls stared at each other, before sighing.

‘But it was reckless,’ admitted Layla.

‘You did it for us,’ countered Bloom.

This time, they laughed as their eyes met.

‘Stella, you’re the one with his address,’ reminded Musa.

‘Yeah, don’t you girls even think about going without me,’ said the blonde.

‘We wouldn’t dream of it,’ winked the red head.

‘Let’s take our breakfast first, then we’ll plan this together,’ interrupted Layla as she saw the blonde ready to take off her ring.

They all nodded, and made their way down to the cafeteria together, as usual.

It was reassuring to see Flora walk on her own, with a little more confidence than in the last few days. Layla was still by her side, but she wasn’t holding her up anymore. They were simply talking about some lesson, and comparing notes.

Musa smiled when she saw there would be Melodian food today, while Tecna rolled her eyes.

‘It’s only food.’

‘You just can’t understand,’ laughed her friend as she intertwined their arms and led the way to their usual spot, in the middle of the left table.

The others laughed, but it was quickly interrupted as a professor passed them. No eye contact was made, and they stared after Palladium, as he made his way towards Wizgiz, who politely nodded when he saw his friend.

‘They’re usually so happy to see each other,’ commented Flora.

They lowered their heads and sat down, watching their plates appear out of nowhere.

Ms. Faragonda and Ms. Griselda entered the room, greeted by almost every student at once, and sat at the main table too, their Headmistress in the middle of it.

‘Griselda looks tired,’ noticed Stella.

They all turned to look at the Head of Discipline of Alfea, and sure enough, the bags under her eyes were more than noticeable.

‘She’s been like that all week,’ nodded Layla.

‘But it’s worse now,’ said Bloom.

They met the eyes of the woman, who only blinked in response, before focusing on her own plate. The girls eventually turned around and looked at each other.

‘Something must be really wrong.’

They quietly finished their breakfast, before making their way back to their room or the showers. It was then decided that they would take this day off, considering Flora’s weakness, and the pile of homework that had been accumulated these past few days.

The day went by quickly, and eventually the sun set.

‘We should be going to bed now,’ said Layla as she stood up, stretching.

‘Right behind you’, yawned Stella.

They’d been surprised when she joined in, working efficiently with them, but hadn’t commented on it. They were happy that their friend finally tried to show what she was capable of.

Professors couldn’t even imagine how intelligent and hard working she could really be. But they lived with her. They saw the passion shine in her eyes every time she talked about fashion, or designing. They all knew that she spent her days drawing clothes, although for some reason, she didn’t believe in herself enough to make them.

That’s why they all felt this warm feeling as she retreated in her bedroom, glad they could influence her to work with them.

Musa stood up, followed by Tecna, leaving Bloom and Flora on their own.

The two sighed, and left the table as it was. They would need to work a little bit more with Stella, but had almost completed everything for the next week.

The lights were turned off early that night, and they fell asleep without worrying about tomorrow.

Until something crashed into their living room, and they had to step out, already transformed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I almost didn’t post this chapter today, because I didn’t believe I could finish it but hey ! Here it is !  
> I’m going to bed now XD  
> Comment and subscribe, I love you all and see you next week !


	8. On The Run

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay sad news everyone : I will start school on September 17th, and I already have a lot to do (learning dancing moves, songs and scripts so teachers can judge my level… all that cool stuff). So I can't guarantee that I will post.
> 
> I will still try, but now that I have school, I maybe post shorter chapters, or not even post anything because I was too busy/tired.
> 
> I do NOT want to abandon this fic, but if I go missing… that's the explanation.
> 
> Anyway, off with the sad declarations and on with the chapter !

Although she was satisfied to still instinctively transform into her normal Fairy form, Bloom didn't dwell on it and got out as fast as she could. She knew Flora was up too, and knew by the flash of light behind her that the flower Fairy had transformed as well.

In the living room, she found her friends as sleepy as her, but transformed nonetheless and prepared for whatever danger had decided to attack them in the middle of the night. Unfortunately, the only thing that could be seen in the living room were their sparkly clothes.

It reflected the blinding light shining in the corridor, and it took only a second for Stella and Layla to react and fly after it, as it seemed to take flight. Bloom simply looked around, snapping her fingers to turn on the light. She was trying to find the source of all the noise they heard, when her eyes landed on Musa.

She was bent over someone, and some of Tecna's drones were flying around. The pink haired girl eventually walked out of her bedroom, a frown on her face as she stared at her tablet.

'What happened ?'

Musa stood up, and gestured at the shivering form on the floor.

'I have no idea.'

Bloom froze as her eyes landed on the familiar figure.

Lying on the ground was Griselda, her eyes blank as she stared at the wall, her whole body shivering. For the first time, the students saw her in her Fairy form, but something seemed amiss. Maybe it was the fact that she never imagined their professor could transform or that they could have wings that big, but she knew better.

'Ms. Griselda ?'

When the professor didn't answer, the red head bent down.

She healed Layla once. She felt perfectly capable to perform that spell once again. It felt natural, like breathing. It was about letting the small fire inside of her free, and let it do its wonders. A very pure part of herself, that she'd come to cherish when she found out about what her Professor had tried to do to her.

Musa and Tecna took a few steps back as she focused, letting the purest parts of her magic fly into the air, and towards the professor. A red halo appeared around them both, and eventually the older Fairy stopped shivering. Her breathing slowed, and she blinked.

Bloom stopped when Ms. Griselda coughed, to help her lie on her side.

'Where are the others ?' Asked Musa suddenly, looking around the room.

'I think Stella and Layla went after that-'

'Girls ? What is happening here ?' Asked a familiar voice that made them all wince.

Their Headmistress entered their bedroom, followed by Avalon and Palladium. The both of them sent dark glares their way, while Faragonda seemed to do her best to seem open and ready to talk with them.

But something was still amiss, and sent the girls on edge immediately.

'We don't know,' answered Musa. 'We heard a crash, and then-'

'I see,' interrupted Avalon.

'Don't worry, we have everything under control,' nodded Palladium. 'You can all go back to bed.'

They blinked, and stared back at the Head of Discipline, whose eyes were wide open as she tried to stand up on her own. She seemed so weak it broke Bloom's heart, and her body moved on its own.

She put herself in the way, and glared back at her professors.

'Why is she like this ?'

A second passed, before both men exchanged a look.

'This does not concern you Bloom,' said the Headmistress. 'Some things are-'

'After last year, I'd imagined that-'

'Bloom, that is enough. Move out of the way.'

The red head didn't need to look behind her to know both of her friends had moved to stand in front of the Head of Discipline too.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she spotted Flora's form, still in their shared bedroom, and simply hoped Stella and Layla weren't too far away.

'I've never seen Mrs. Griselda like this. If something is wrong, you can tell us,' she stated, her head high.

'Please, Bloom, I will tell you everything when I'm certain of what I have to tell you.'

Narrowing her eyes, the red head shook her head.

The gentle expression fell from their Headmistress' face, replaced by something else. All Bloom saw as she stared in her mentor's eyes was anger. Slowly, she moved into a fighting stance, and before the red head could react, their two teachers fired something at the three Fairies, while Faragonda watched.

Tecna was the only one left standing, while Musa and Bloom were thrown against the wall behind them. A sharp pain went through their collar bone, and they let out a gasp as the air was pushed out of their lungs.

Darkness clouded their vision for a second, while the pink haired was left on her own, trying one of her favourite spells : electricity shot from everywhere above them, hitting their professors again and again.

It made them incapable of moving long enough for the two girls to stand up, and regain their focus.

Vines with thorns pierced through the ground, and the Headmistress was soon forced to stay still if she didn't wish to be ripped to shreds.

Musa shook her head before clapping her hands together, and sending both of the professors back against the other wall. It was satisfying to watch, but Bloom focused back onto their Head of Discipline.

'Can you walk ?' She asked, her eyes wide as she searched for a clear answer.

The older Fairy nodded, and with the red head's help, they started making their way out, as the three other Fairies made sure their professors wouldn't move for a moment.

'Where are we going ?' Muttered Musa as they passed the doorway.

'I don't know, outside ?' Guessed Bloom, at a complete loss.

'Where's Flora ?' Asked Tecna as she came out in the corridor.

They looked behind them, in a room where plants seemed to grow at an alarming rate.

'Is she stuck ?' Asked Musa.

'Take Griselda and take her outside,' ordered Bloom as she handed the weak form of their professor to her two friends.

'Wait !' Tried Tecna.

It was too late, Bloom was already walking back in.

Avalon and Palladium were now unconscious from all the electricity and the shock of being sent against the wall. Bloom winced, but kept on walking, ignoring the hateful glare her Headmistress gave her.

She couldn't let herself get distracted.

Walking into her bedroom, she saw her friend in the middle of the room, staring wide eyed back at her.

'Bloom', she gasped.

The red head stopped when she saw her friend's attire. She supposed it was the reaction her friends had when they saw her transforming in her sleep this year.

There was no doubt it was her friend in front of her, but it still took her a moment to recover.

Not much had changed. Her hair was normal, albeit a little bit more darker, but it wasn't a mess like what the red head ended up having on top of her head every time she transformed into her Sorceress form. Her makeup was kept simple, with green eyeshadow, and black lipstick.

The dress' colours had drastically changed : the bright pink on top had been replaced by emerald, and the lighter shade by black, both colours melting into each other nicely. The chain on her neck had turned from gold to silver, while the little flower was now an emerald clover, with black edges, as if it'd been burnt.

Her wings were still green, but matched the colour of the outfit, and the edges were a lot sharper than usual.

Her handless gloves were black, but if Bloom wasn't mistaken, there seemed to be green reflections when the light touched them. The boots were completely black, with a silver zipper on the inside, and the heel was slightly thinner.

'Bloom ? Please, say something !'

It brought the red head back to the moment, and without thinking, she took her friend by her hand and led her out. She winced when the eyes of their Headmistress widened, but couldn't bring herself to care.

Sooner or later, she would break free from the vines, and Bloom certainly didn't want any of them to be near her when that happened. Fortunately, the two teachers had been knocked out for good, it seemed.

The corridor was empty when they got out. That didn't surprise the red head, who simply led her friend on.

'Bloom ! I-'

'It's okay Flora. You don't need to explain or say anything. Right now, we need to get out. That's all that matters.'

The flower Fairy fell silent, and in less than five minutes, they made it out of the school.

In the gardens, they found their friends waiting for them, but no sign of Layla or Stella.

'Where are they ?' Screamed Bloom as she opened the door.

The two Fairies turned around, and their eyes fell onto their other friend. But unlike the red head, they didn't stare that much, and instead looked around them, ready to be attacked at any second.

The professor hanged on both of their shoulders, barely standing up on her own.

'We don't know, we haven't seen them when we got out !' Screamed back Musa.

Bloom cursed under her breath as she and Flora ran towards them.

'Is the barrier up ?'

'Yes, and my little creation has been confiscated,' said Tecna. 'I can't make us break through it.'

'We should look for Stella and Layla first,' insisted Flora.

A window exploded, and without surprise, they realized it was the one from their bedroom.

'What are we going to do ?' Panicked Bloom, looking in every other direction possible.

'Let's go back into the school and hide !'

Everyone followed Tecna as she started running towards the left side of the school, when something smashed in front of her, and they had to stop dead in their tracks.

They looked up to see a very angry Headmistress, a hand raised in the air towards them.

'Girls, stop this nonsense at once. Ms. Griselda will be fine, but she has to be interrogated.'

'In the middle of the night ?!' Screamed back Musa.

Something seemed to glow in the old Fairy's hand, and they prepared to feel something when suddenly, another explosion was heard and took all of their attention away.

Looking up, they saw the barrier was nothing but sparkles anymore, falling on them slowly.

If they weren't in such a dire predicament, the girls would've been subjugated. But one growl from their Headmistress reminded them of what they had to do, and they quickly started to run towards the exit.

Faragonda screamed something behind them, but two familiar Fairies appeared in the nick of time behind them, shielding them.

The four Fairies stopped running before turning around to look at Stella. The Princess had her sceptre out, and one look was all it took to understand she simply waited for them to be close enough to teleport them all out of the school, as she kept her shield up against the attacks of their Headmistress.

Tecna and Musa hurried towards her, the professor being nothing more than a limp body they dragged on, as Flora and Bloom joined the battle, creating an even bigger shield until everyone was close enough to Stella to be teleported.

It took no more than five seconds, but it felt like an eternity as they watched their mentor get more creative with her spells. The lights in the dorms had begun to flicker on, and the girls knew it was only a matter of time before everyone saw them outside, fighting their professor.

Fortunately, it also caught the attention of Faragonda, leaving just enough time to the girls to fly towards Stella, and giving the blonde the opportunity to teleport them away, in a big flash of light before anyone could clearly see what happened.

Tecna and Musa fell to the ground, Griselda being heavier than she looked, while Bloom stared at her other friends, as breathless as them. Their eyes were wide as they met, trying to rationalize what happened.

The red head's mind then snapped her out of her daze, and she looked around herself.

'Welcome to my lair.'

This was a sarcastic voice she would recognize anywhere, but she didn't turn to face him. Instead, she narrowed her eyes at Stella who simply shrugged, before letting herself fall onto the sofa behind her.

The other girls followed her example, but didn't relax. They were in a dangerous territory after all.

'What happened ?'

Her eyes met the golden gaze of the smirking wizard. She could feel something was wrong, that he wasn't in the mood for joking, as if he tried to keep a mask on. But she shrugged the feeling off, too worried about the recent events to question his well-being.

'I should be the one asking you that,' he answered, his eyes drifting to two particular Fairies on the sofa. 'Two of your friends come banging at my door in the middle of the night, saying I need to destroy Alfea's magical barrier.'

'And you just did it ?' She asked, completely taken aback.

'I figured it wasn't the time to ask questions,' he replied.

Bloom turned to her friends, who simply nodded.

'But how did you get out ? The barrier was already up ?'

Layla sighed.

'It wasn't when we went out. We thought we'd follow what we saw, and it led us right outside of Alfea before we lost it, and the shield was put back on before we could come back to you.'

'This makes no sense,' cut in Tecna. 'The barrier is always up at night.'

Stella shrugged once again.

'Now that this is cleared up, I would like to know why one of Alfea's precious teachers is on my sofa ?'

Biting her lip, Bloom tried to come up with a good explanation. After all, she was still trying to process everything.

'We found her in our living room,' replied Musa. 'Then our Headmistress and two of our professors just… attacked us ?'

It was obvious none of them could really believe what happened. It felt like a strange nightmare. One they couldn't wake up from.

'We'll have to wait until she wakes up,' eventually sighed Tecna. 'All we know is that Griselda tried to escape our Headmistress.'

The others nodded, while the wizard blinked.

'I hope you don't expect to just stay here,' he drawled out. 'I am hardly fine with any of you knowing where I live, so this professor of yours will have to go.'

'Don't worry,' immediately answered Stella with a confident smile. 'I've got this under control.'

As usual, their friend didn't disappoint : after a last glance at where Valtor lived, the blonde teleported them to Solaria in a blink of an eye, and into the Royal Palace. Guards were already waiting for them, and they were led to their rooms.

They would be resting in the maids quarters, simply because the rooms would be connected between them, and it would be less noticeable than if they took the big rooms upstairs.

They all found themselves around the Head of Discipline, taking turns as they watched her sleep, and ready to find out what really happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so… obviously I didn't have as much time to write as usual. I already have a lot going, and I hope I can simply post something next week. Sorry this came out so late, I really just finished it because I wanted you all to know what was next… and yeah, see you all later !
> 
> I hope there aren't too many mistakes.
> 
> Please leave a little comment, it always warms up my heart to see what you all have to say about this fic !
> 
> Kisses from France, take good care of yourselves ^^


	9. Solaria

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so somehow I managed to write this chapter in time, when I never believed I could do it lmao but here it is !  
> For next week though, I don’t know if it’ll be possible, honestly. I’ll only get the weekend so… But I know I could do it if I’m not too tired. So just keep in mind that the next chapter may be in two weeks.  
> Maybe I should give you something to keep you guys updated ? I’ve got an insta I only use for myself, called lohknomona. It’s pretty empty, with only pictures of my cat, ferret or nature. If I see some people suddenly following me, I’ll make sure to let you know what happens and stuff.  
> I also have a Tumblr but I don’t really use it that much. The only thing I really use is Twitter (Loh_Knomona)… You guys just let me know XD   
> I’m saying this because I know what it’s like to wait for another chapter, and I just want you to be able to ask me questions, to ask me if I’m going to upload and all that… So feel free to subscribe or follow or something XD

Stella’s eyes stayed fixated on Flora, as she slept soundly on one of the many beds around them. She was still in her pyjamas. None of them had really bothered changing after last night fiasco, but the first rays of the sun were shining through the window and the blonde suddenly felt a lot more energized, and curious.

None of them had questioned the Fairy’s new form. Her Sorceress form, if they were to believe Ms. Griffin’s words. She’d stayed frozen for a second, before reminding herself that it would become awkward, and her friend was feeling bad enough already.

Knowing her friend, she was probably terrified of what was happening to her.

Someone sighed, and Stella searched for who was waking up before realizing it came from the other side of the room.

‘Girls.’

They almost all opened their eyes at the same time.

The blonde walked to the Professor, before sitting on the edge of the bed.

‘Ms. Griselda ? How are you feeling ?’

‘Where am I ?’

‘You’re in Solaria, you’re safe.’

Slowly sitting up, the Professor sighed once again before taking in her surroundings.

A big room, with a lot of beds and black sheets, with a big window that let the beautiful Solarian sunrise great them all. All the girls had also woken up, and were looking or walking towards their Head of Discipline.

‘What happened Professor ?’ Asked Layla.

Her brows furrowing, the older woman had to shake her head.

‘I don’t remember exactly. I think… I need to speak to… I…’

The girls stayed silent as the Fairy started rambling something to herself, forgetting them altogether.

‘Professor, please calm down, just tell us what happened ? Why did you come in our bedroom like…’

Stella’s words were never the best, she knew it, but it was enough to bring the woman out of her thoughts, and she once again looked at everything around her before sighing.

‘You were right,’ she mumbled.

‘About what ?’ Urged Tecna, her fingers twitching in anticipation.

‘About Professor Avalon.’

It made them all freeze, and for a single moment, nothing could be heard. Even their breathing had stopped, as they tried to register the information.

‘You were right about everything.’

Bloom sat down at once, suddenly feeling sick, while Flora simply lied down on her back again, staring at the ceiling. Musa huffed, as Tecna sighed.

‘What do you mean ?’ Asked Stella, knowing Layla was now standing behind her.

The woman looked at the blonde, and shrugged.

‘He’s a monster, I don’t know what exactly but…’

Her eyes moved to Tecna, and narrowed.

‘You were right. I saw it. He wasn’t human… he was… a monster, with the appearance of a man.’

Bloom laughed, and Musa shook her head.

‘But why did Ms. Faragonda and-‘

‘I don’t know. They were waiting for me when I came back from my office in the teacher’s wing and-I shouldn’t be telling you all this.’

‘Like hell you should !’ Yelled Bloom, suddenly standing up. ‘We’re the ones you sent to Lord Darkar’s Fortress ! We’re the ones fighting the battles ! We’re the targets ! So you’re going to tell us everything !’

The woman blinked tiredly.

‘Or what ?’

The temperature suddenly rose in the room, enough for all of them to turn and look at their friend worriedly.

‘You really want to find out ?’

‘I know you Bloom, and I know you’re bluffing.’

‘Maybe she is, but I’m not. I promise you’ll regret it.’

The eyes of everyone turned to Flora, as she kept staring above her, not moving an inch.

‘Flora ?’ Muttered Layla.

‘I’m not going to hear such-‘

‘You’ll regret it, because if anything happens to us, it will be your fault.’

The Professor tensed.

‘If you don’t tell us what you know, we’ll just get into more trouble. Again and again. Because we don’t have information you could tell us right now. So it’ll be your fault. And you’ll blame yourself, again and again.’

Silence followed her words, as the other girls blinked.

‘Flora, are you al-‘

‘I’m tired of all of this, that’s it.’

Bloom sat back down on the bed, her eyes staring intently at their Professor.

‘Very well. There isn’t much I can tell you, except that they were waiting for me, and I barely escaped. You know the rest.’

‘They just attacked you ?’ Asked Tecna as she raised an eyebrow.

‘Yes,’ hissed Griselda. ‘I knew something was wrong for a few weeks now, but I didn’t know they would do something like that. I don’t even understand or…’

Layla tilted her head.

‘You knew something ?’

Licking her lips, the Professor seemed to hesitate before sighing.

‘I didn’t know for sure. I knew something was wrong with Palladium, and then Faragonda.’

‘What do you mean ?’

The Professor laughed.

‘I don’t know, Tecna. They were colder ? Distant ? Mean ? Uninterested in their work ? You name it.’

‘So it was like a… disease ?’ Tried Stella.

Their Professor nodded, and stayed silent.

‘So,’ chirped up Flora as she got up. ‘Avalon isn’t human. Ms. Faragonda and Pr. Palladium have been infected by some kind of disease that makes them… mean ?’ She said with a mocking smile. ‘And then they decide to attack you for… no reason ?’

Some anger showed on her face, but their Professor simply nodded.

It was just in time before someone knocked, and Stella had to rush to the door to stop the person behind it from barging inside the room.

‘Princess Ste-‘

‘Hush ! Who is it ?’

‘It’s me ! Astrid !’

The face of Stella suddenly lightened up, before she opened the door.

‘Did you get everything ?’

‘Of course I did,’ huffed the new girl.

The Winx positioned themselves in front of their Professor, minus Flora, while both blondes talked. The denominated Astrid only glanced at them once, before waving and going her own way, leaving a basket in Stella’s hands.

When the door closed, the Princess immediately met the angry expressions of her friends.

‘Astrid’s a childhood friend. She won’t say anything.’

‘How can you be certain ?’ Asked Musa, her whole body tense.

‘Because she’s the one who organized our arrival in Solaria at almost midnight. and proceeded to find us a room where no one would come look for us, prepared it and told me exactly how to get there unnoticed.’

‘That doesn’t prove anything,’ said Layla. ‘She could do it fo-‘

‘Listen, even if my father founds us out, what is he going to do ? We’ll have to explain the situation to someone else eventually.’

The Andros Fairy bit her lip, but let the subject drop.

‘The real problem is : what are we going to do ?’ Reminded Tecna. ‘We can’t just leave Alfea. All of our friends are in danger.’

The girls nodded.

‘We need to go back to our dear friend,’ spit out Bloom.

‘No,’ interrupted Layla.

All eyes turned to her.

‘Let’s talk somewhere else,’ muttered the blonde as she led everyone outside.

Their Professor eyed them suspiciously, but fortunately, didn’t ask any questions. They left the basket on her bed, full with food, and told her to stay in this room until they knew why their Headmistress and teachers were after her.

Their Head of Discipline shrugged, too tired to argue, while they exited the room.

They simply walked to another dorm, that looked identical to the one they just left.

‘Is no one living here ?’ Asked Layla.

‘Not really. Anyone who works in the castle has their own house or apartment. Only the younger maids live here.’

‘People are forced to live in the quarters of our castle,’ explained Layla as she sat down on a bed. ‘Unless they can breathe under water.’

‘Why ?’ Questioned Musa, her eyebrows shooting up.

‘Because the closest city for earth people is an hour away. We do have residences underwater, and we are working on building something for people that can’t breath underwater but for now…’

Her voice cracked, and it was obvious the young Princess was comparing herself, and the way both Kingdom treated their own people. Stella blinked, before giving her a big smile.

‘Your Kingdom is made for merpeople, don’t beat yourself up. Solaria is lucky to be mostly inhabited by people who live above water. Do you know how hard it is for other kinds to attend our events ?’

Layla smiled, and slightly nodded, grateful for her friend’s reminder.

‘Not that I’m not interested in the differences between both of your Kingdoms,’ interrupted Tecna,’ but we have something a little more urgent to talk about.’

The Andros Fairy nodded.

‘I’m not against the idea of talking to Valtor, but have you thought about the consequences of our actions ?’

‘She’s right,’ nodded Musa. ‘If we ask him for help, he’ll realize something is wrong in Alfea and he could try something.’

‘He won’t,’ said Bloom. ‘He has a deal with me.’

‘And is this deal as important to him as his greed ?’ Asked Stella. ‘Not that I’m not trusting you, darling, but he is the most dangerous person known today.’

‘He almost took over my Kingdom in less than a month, just after getting out of Omega. Taking over Alfea would be a piece of cake.’

The red head blinked.

‘So what do you have in mind ? We do things… on our own ?’

‘We could ask Ms. Griselda ?’ Proposed Flora. ‘She knows the school staff better than anyone else.’

‘I think it’s a better idea,’ nodded Layla. ‘We should begin with her, before going to a criminal for help.’

Bloom crossed her arms.

‘But if she doesn’t agree, we don’t waste any more time, okay ?’

* * *

‘It’s always a pleasure to have you over girls.’

They appeared at his door while he was obviously making himself breakfast, which reminded them that they didn’t have much time to eat, before Flora put their Professor to sleep with a little spell of hers.

The thought quickly faded away, as they sat down on his sofa.

‘What do you want me to do this time ? I’m not saying last night wasn’t fun, but I will have to ask you for some information now.’

Bloom crossed her legs, her expression surprisingly blank.

‘Our Professor crashed in our room, and the next thing we knew, our teachers were attacking us.’

A minute of silence passed, as both Dragon Flames Keepers stared at each other.

‘That’s it,’ she shrugged. ‘We don’t know much. Our Professor told us she was ambushed, and saw that the new teacher wasn’t human… and that there seems to be some kind of disease spreading that makes them mean.’

‘A disease that makes them mean ?’ Huffed the Wizard.

The Fairy shrugged once again.

‘And you don’t know anything else ?’

They all shook their heads.

‘We’re just as surprised as you, honestly,’ admitted Stella. ‘I didn’t think I’d ever have to fight… them.’

‘And the Pixies and Kiko are still there,’ reminded Layla. ‘I just hope that they’re fine.’

‘I haven’t had any news from Digit,’ nodded Tecna. ‘I’m certain something is wrong.’

The Wizard stood up suddenly, and started pacing under the Winx’ eyes. They exchanged a worried look, unsure of how to proceed.

This was a big enemy to the whole Magical Dimension after all. They didn’t trust him totally, even if they knew that, for now, he seemed to be on their side. He was cunning, easily twisting the words of others to fit his plans. It would be stupid to expect complete honesty from him, and their relationship didn’t exactly include bonding.

They were glad he helped them, though. He happily gave them the information they wanted, because it would be against their Headmistress’ wishes. Somehow that was enough for him, and it certainly was a good thing for them. They were both using each other knowingly.

But sometimes, they were reminded that he was dangerous. Unpredictable.

Seeing him troubled awoken all their doubts towards him, simply because they weren’t used to this type of behaviour from him. At any moment, he could snap his fingers and kill them. They wouldn’t be able to stand up to him at all.

‘You girls want to fight them back, I guess ?’

His words were somewhat reassuring. They proved that he was thinking about the next step of the plan, not about how he could get rid of them.

‘Yes. Our friends are there, in this school. Who knows what could happen to them,’ muttered Musa.

He nodded.

‘You’ll need to be stronger.’

‘Are you talking about Charmix ? Bloom and Layla already got them,’ said Stella.

‘I’m talking about much more, but I guess it’ll have to suffice,’ he replied. ‘Let’s focus on you earning those, and then we’ll work a plan to take them down.’

That’s how the girls found themselves back on Solaria, sneaking into the Princess’ room, to get as much clothes as they could before going on a little vacation. Little did they know, the blonde really was a fashion victim.

The bedroom was radiant : windows everywhere, with a yellow carpet in the middle, and a bed bigger than anything Bloom could’ve ever imagined on the right side. The sheets were white, and gold. Real gold, she presumed, but she didn’t ask.

The walls were white, and it was almost too much for their eyes.

The cellar was high, and decorated with blue and golden images that seemed to hold some kind of significance, but she couldn’t understand it. Instead, she walked into the room a little further, and realized that some windows were actually mirrors.

There was big library on the left, full of books and fashion furniture, and next to it, two big marble doors.

Stella walked in front of them, oblivious to her friends’ amazement, and clapped her hands twice.

It must’ve activated some kind of mechanism, because slowly but surely, the doors opened, revealing an even bigger room.

‘Welcome to my closet. Only I know how to open it.’

In comparison, it was extremely dark. There weren’t any windows, only balls of light floating near the cellar. The room was circular, and everything was white, except for the clothes. In the middle were white and golden sofas, and the girls had to look at each other to realize they weren’t dreaming.

But when they discovered that there were clothes behind the ones they could see, Bloom felt like fainting.

‘How can one human being own so much ?’

Tecna’s question went unanswered, the others too busy gaping at everything they were seeing.

‘I’m sure Layla has the same thing in her castle too,’ shrugged Stella as she started browsing.

The Andros Fairy shook her head, her eyes wide.

‘Well girls, we don’t have all day.’

The blonde smiled at them, before assessing what she had and taking things out. Layla eventually moved towards the green section, followed closely by Musa and Flora, while Tecna went towards the black clothes.

‘Tecna, this isn’t a funeral. Have some fun !’

‘We’re going to be out by ourselves. I’d prefer to blend in, rather than be a sparkling target.’

Bloom dropped the blue outfit she just chose.

‘We’re going on Domino. I don’t know what you’re expecting to meet.’

‘The giant monster of last time ?’ Proposed Flora, frowning at the mere memory of the altercation.

‘But we know how to work together, and Bloom has her powers ! It’ll be a piece of cake !’

The other girls shook their heads, but eventually dropped the matter entirely, and it was simply decided that they would need warm clothes, as they could always change the colour of the fabric.

Layla quickly packed everything she chose for herself, and exited the giant dressing, finding the bedroom a little bit more welcoming. She simply sat on the edge of the bed, watching her friends play with everything they found.

Solaria was the example of a powerful Kingdom. Stella didn’t even realize how fortunate her people and her were. They were rich, and could do just about everything they wished. If King Radius said something, it would be taken seriously, and everyone would abide to it.

Andros, on the other hand, was a rather poor Kingdom, and everything surrounding her proved it. She’d never seen so much gold as today, even in her own palace. Her parents probably couldn’t afford her dressing.

Even the richer family of Andros wouldn’t be able to buy half of it.

‘It certainly is something, right ?’ Asked Musa as she sat besides the other girl.

An anxious laugh escaped Layla.

‘It’s… I’ve never seen so much… I don’t know it’s… wow.’

Musa giggled.

‘I don’t even know what to say,’ confessed the music Fairy. ‘It’s just… a little bit too much ?’

Her friend nodded.

‘But I guess you need to understand fashion to end up with so much,’ she continued. ‘I mean, I don’t really understand why people would want to own those pricey clothes, you know ?’

Layla hummed.

‘Totally, to me it’s just wasted money.’

Her friend opened her mouth to say something, but a noise stopped her.

‘Musa ?’

‘Hush.’

The music Fairy suddenly stared at the door, before standing up and taking her friend by the wrist, running back into the dressing.

‘Stella ! Close the doors !’

‘What ? Bu-‘

‘Close them !’ Almost screamed Musa.

With a snap of her fingers, the doors closed, leaving them stuck in the room.

‘What’s happening ?’ Asked Flora, hugging herself.

‘I heard voices and-‘

There was a noise outside of the dressing, before everyone realized someone came in.

‘Who would dare ?’ Seethed Stella. ‘This room is off-limit when I’m not here !’

Another snap of her fingers, and they had a clear image of who had entered the room.

Two girls wearing the same purple and blue Lolita dress slowly walked into the room, trying to digest everything they were seeing. The one with very light ginger hair put into a single braid had a look of pure incredulity, while the dark pinked hair girl with pig-tails on both sides of her head raised an eyebrow.

The third one, with long blue hair and a dress that obviously was of high-fashion, simply sat down and watched her friends walk around.

‘So… that’s the Princess room ?’ Asked the pink haired girl.

‘Yeah, a bit too bright don’t you think ?’ Replied the one sitting down.

‘I hope you’ll do something about it when you take her place,’ winked ginger, making her friends giggle.

One look at Stella’s face was all it took for Bloom to understand her friend was going to snap. She quickly hugged her, which looked a lot more like she was trying to restrain her, as they all watched the three girls touch everything in the room, from the sheets to the silky white curtains.

‘Why does Radius even bother with her ?’ Asked the pig-tail girl.

‘Dunno Cariddi… My mother says she brings nothing but trouble… but he loves her.’

The third girl snorted.

‘What ?’ Asked Cariddi.

‘In my opinion he just wants to shut her up.’

Her two friends blinked, making their friend sigh.

‘Really ? Chimera ? Even you ? Didn’t you grow up on Solaria ?’

The girl shrugged.

‘So ?’

‘Haven’t you ever seen her in the newspaper ?!’

The girl named Chimera suddenly stood up straighter, obviously remembering something, before starting laughing.

‘What ?’ Asked Cariddi, looking at both of her friends in complete confusion.

‘Oh my ! Right ! You didn’t grow up on Solaria !’

‘Let me and Scilla explain to you who exactly is this Princess Stella,’ said Chimera as she led her friends out of the room, a big smile on her lips.

‘And why no one wants to ever see her on the throne,’ snickered her friend.

The Winx waited until they left the room, before casting a glance at their friend.

‘What were they talking about ?’ Asked Tecna, before Musa hit her in the ribs.

The pink haired girl immediately looked apologetic.

‘Let’s just get out,’ said Flora, as she crossed her arms.

Stella clapped her hands, and they tried their best to get out of the castle undetected.

It was an easy task. The Princess seemed to know every round, every hiding spot, and every secret passageway in this castle. She didn’t even blink as they finally made it out and entered the city. She just stared ahead, and occasionally looked behind her to make sure they were all following.

‘Stella ?’ Asked Bloom as they started walking in the forest.

‘What ?’

The tone was enough for the red head to simply shake her head and apologize, before falling back.

Eventually the blonde stopped walking, and without another word, teleported them all away.

The cold hit them immediately, and they cursed. But in another snap of her fingers, Stella had them all dressed appropriately, and the girls simply sent her dark glare. It was one thing to be angry, and it was another to take it out on them.

The situation was hard enough on all of them.

‘This way,’ said Tecna, leading them all to where she knew was the castle.

‘For once I’m glad you take too much notes,’ joked Musa, as her friend laughed.

The rest of the group wasn’t so happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Astrid (canon) : is a childhood friend of Stella in the comics, briefly mentioned.  
> Cariddi and Scilla (kinda canon) : they’re the two students we see with Chimera in the first episode. They don’t have names, so I looked into the Greek Mythology and found two interesting characters : Scylla and Charybdis. Scylla was a nice nymph, but was transformed into a monster by a jealous woman, while Charybdis was a greedy Goddess turned into a monster because she kept doing what was forbidden. I don’t know if I’ll include them in the story, but I would really like to…
> 
> Here it is !  
> So, no promises on another chapter next week… but I promise I’ll try lmao.  
> If you liked it, please favourite and comment ^^
> 
> Insta : lohknomona  
> Twitter : Loh_Knomona
> 
> XOXO


	10. Freezy Holidays

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Insta : lohknomona  
> So I’ve only done four days of school, and I barely managed this chapter. If you ever want info on how it’s going, just subscribe or check the story. I really only use this account for that lmao
> 
> I started writing this chapter on Saturday, this is all I could manage so I hope it’s enough lmao XD

The Fortress of Lord Darkar was a joke in comparison to today’s security systems. Getting inside unnoticed could be achieved by anyone if they bothered to learn a little bit about dark arts. The monsters were blind to everything around them, even a simple illusion would fool them.

With a scoff, the man watched the creature walk past him, unaware of the presence of the unwanted visitor.

The real problem about this castle was finding your way around once inside of it. It was a real maze, and the Shadow Phoenix didn’t exactly prepare it for its monstrous subjects. Fortunately, Valtor knew this Dark Lord, and was familiar with the place. He also knew what he was looking for.

Valtor started walking down some stairs, leading to the strange magic he felt as soon as he entered the place. He doubted Lord Darkar had any allies who used Fairy magic. His curiosity got the better of him.

He simply thought he would patrol, see what his Creator was up to.

He found himself in a dark tunnel, facing multiple wooden doors. He didn’t dwell, knowing exactly what he would find if he ever opened one of them, and instead made his way towards one of the biggest doors.

The magic he felt was right in front of him, and it did take him a second before he decided to go through the door, instead of opening it. The darkness of this place offered him one thing : power. He could feel it coursing through his veins, and he loved it.

He almost lost control when he appeared in the room, and thanked the amount of bad energy around him for helping him keep up the illusion.

In front of him, four figures he recognized immediately were chained to the wall, drained of all energy.

Valtor had to stare at Faragonda’s face, confused as to how the old woman could’ve been defeated, before shrugging and going to each of them, making sure they would survive another day on their own.

Leaving them in this room was the best thing to do for everyone right now, he told himself.

* * *

Thanks to Stella’s talents in fashion, the East Wing of the castle was soon rehabilitated, and the six girls were able to have rooms they could sleep in, hidden under all the ice and snow. Bloom used her magic to put fire everywhere, to keep the temperature up, while Layla and Flora tried their best to block every entrance to the castle.

Tecna was with Stella, each of them assessing everything that had to be done so they could live there for a little while. Musa simply stayed in her room, working on her music for Red Fountain, and staying by Griselda’s side. Someone had to make sure their Professor wouldn’t be alone, as she was still too weak to even transform.

The day went by quickly, and they met into a big kitchen, eating what they brought with them. It was done in silence, the gravity of the situation being too much for them all. The presence of their Professor certainly didn’t help.

They quickly grew tired and went back to their room. Bloom, Flora and Tecna were staying in the smallest, while the rest was sleeping on the other side of the corridor.

Bloom and Stella would be the ones illuminating the rooms if any problem arose. Layla and Flora were supposed to block anything from entering their room or following them. Musa and Tecna would be the brute force.

The night was surprisingly peaceful. Tecna had put up a security system with what she had around her, so they were almost certain they wouldn’t need to worry about someone trying to take them by surprise in the night.

The next day, the girls tried to work on earning their Charmix, which was much more easier said than done. Each of them tried to find what flaws they could work on, but never seemed to find something they really believed would be enough to earn such a transformation.

That’s why Stella suddenly found herself walking into new parts of the castle with Tecna, fuming and her lips pouted. She had to be there because the technology Fairy needed light to work, and Bloom was outside with Layla, trying to block the external entrances to the castle.

‘You know, if you’re not going to help me, at least you could try to be civil.’

‘Did I ask for your opinion ?’

The pink haired girl huffed, and watched as the blonde angrily strode off in another direction. Every part of her wished to forget her friend for the moment and focus on her task, but she knew it was dangerous.

So she followed Stella.

Initially, she decided to stay silent. Knowing the blonde, she wouldn’t want to talk for a moment. That was why she surprised herself when she eventually asked how her friend was feeling.

‘I’m angry. Something you probably can’t understand.’

The Solarian kept on moving, but Tecna had to stop in her tracks. She felt everything around her blur, and could only focus on the weird sensation inside her : as if a knife had gone straight through her heart. She felt something form at the corner of her eyes, and she started having trouble breathing.

One shake of her head wasn’t enough to get rid of the weird feeling, and she eventually reached out for the wall, unable to stand up on her own. Soon, the light from Stella’s sceptre disappeared, and she was stuck in the darkness, on her own.

* * *

‘Don’t worry, I simply wanted a little bit of fresh air. I’ve been stuck inside for three days now.’

Flora nodded, and watched her Professor walk around in the snow. She was much better than before, and the student smiled. She spotted Layla, doing something to one of broken window, followed by Bloom, before disappearing.

They both had a lot to do. They decided to make the castle safer, as they both already obtained their Charmix.

Flora didn’t really know how she could get her own. Obviously, she thought about her timidity, but she didn’t know if she would be able to do anything on Domino. Although her Professor might be a good way to start.

‘Flora ! Behind you !’ Screamed her Professor, her hand raised and her palm facing her.

The Fairy immediately pushed herself to the side, waiting for Griselda to attack. She watched the blue little creature sniff, before preparing to attack.

That’s when she realized that only one of them could do magic right now. Quickly, she transformed into her pink outfit, and tried to catch the older woman.

‘What are you doing ?’

‘I’m bringing you back ins-‘

‘No you’re not, you need to defend this place. I can take care of myself !’

Flora stopped moving as she started to lift up her Professor, when suddenly one of the creatures came at her and grabbed her ankle. Panic settled in her chest, while Griselda tried to hit the thing with her bare hands.

‘You need to do something Flora !’ She screamed. ‘Didn’t you learn anything in my classes ?!’

A moment later, a ball of fire appeared out of nowhere, and sent the monster flying away. Bloom appeared a second later, in her blue outfit, and winked at her, unaware of the internal turmoil that was going in her mind.

‘Let’s get back inside,’ sighed the Professor.

Flora felt a familiar wave of shame wash over her.

* * *

The only one to stay in her bedroom had been Musa. Looking through everything she already wrote, she gladly let a happy smile grace her lips. Which quickly turned into a yawn, as she stood up and walked around the room.

She needed the stretch, but the thought of earning her Charmix appeared in her head immediately, and she had to frown.

She had no idea how she could earn it. Of course, she was aware she wasn’t perfect, but she had no idea how she could fight her flaws. She tried to work a little bit more, but was almost certain nothing needed to be done. She was almost perfect when it came to school.

Her thoughts were interrupted when the Head of Discipline opened the door, and walked to her bed. She nodded in her student’s direction, who reciprocated it, before lying back on her bed.

It was weird to see her so weak. But even in her current state, she still held her head high. Musa was proud of having her as one of her teachers. She hoped to be just like her one day.

Her eyes settled on the other form by the door.

Flora was hugging herself, looking at everything but the two other persons in the room, and quickly walked away when she saw her professor wouldn’t be alone. Musa blinked, surprised by the behaviour of her friend, before eventually deciding on following her.

She quickly got into the other bedroom, and watched her friend as she slowly got onto her bed, her eyes still lost, looking at something invisible.

‘Flora ?’

The girl tensed but met her gaze.

‘What’s wrong ?’

The flower Fairy smiled, and shook her head.

‘Everything’s alright, don’t worry about me.’

Her voice was calm, and Musa bit her lip. It took a few seconds, before she started walking again. Towards her friend.

She may not be the best at feelings, but knew when her friend was lying. Simply because she was very bad at it.

‘What’s wrong ?’

Flora looked down.

‘Nothing, I’m okay.’

‘You’re not okay.’

She took her friend by her hands, and led her to sit on the edge of the bed, before sitting down next to her. The brown haired girl kept her eyes strained onto the ground. Musa tried to wait, but her patience wasn’t her strongest quality.

‘Talk to me, please.’

The flower Fairy drew in a shaky breath.

‘I’m just-I… I realize that I’m not useful, and I don’t know how I can do anything about it… I’m just… I…’

‘Flora ! Why would you ever think that ?’

Without thinking, Musa’s grip on her friend’s hands grew tighter. Her eyes had also widened, unable to digest the fact that somehow, she didn’t realize her friends had such negative thoughts running through her head.

‘I’m just not as good as you all ! I’m not super intelligent like you and Tecna, or powerful like Bloom, daring like Layla or impressive like Stella ! I’m just… I’m useless.’

Musa’s heart stopped for a second, and it was like her whole world fell apart. She felt bad, and somehow responsible for her friend’s state of mind.

‘Listen, you _are_ useful. Who brought Mirta back to us ?’

‘It took me months !’

‘But you did it ! When no one else could !’

‘That’s not enough ! I just got lucky ! If we ever have to fight, I won’t be able to hold myself as-‘

‘Now stop,’ growled Musa. ‘You were there to take down the Trix with us, and you were very useful. If you think you’re not strong enough, then train. We all did, especially Bloom. Look where her efforts took her.’

That shut the flower Fairy up, and the brunette could see her friend was now thinking.

She sighed and got up, slowly letting go of Flora’s hands.

‘I have to get back to Mrs. Griselda. I’m sure she could teach you a thing or two, if you ever wish to practice.’

With that, she left, with the feeling she did something right.

* * *

She came to a halt when she realized she could only hear her own footsteps. She let her sceptre fall to the ground, the thud echoing through the tunnel, and looked behind her to realize Tecna was nowhere to be seen.

At first, she tried to call out her name. Nothing but silence answered her.

She immediately frowned and amplified the light around her, somehow expecting to be attacked. After all, there was no way Tecna would leave her without any kind of warning. Or maybe she’d been too angry to listen.

Biting her lower lip as guilt settled in her gut, she started walking backwards, still calling out her friend’s name from time. She didn’t want to transform and use her energy just yet, but felt as if something terrible had happened.

They were supposed to be a duo in the tunnels because Tecna could hardly have enough light to see where she was going. She was relying on her. This situation made no sense.

She tried to block the thought that, maybe, it was because of what she said. After all, she didn’t mean it, and Tecna would know. She always said stupid and hurtful things when she was angry. Her friends were used to it by now.

Gripping her sceptre a little tighter, she focused on keeping her head high and walking forward. She wouldn’t let her emotions get the best of her. Not now. She would show everyone she was capable of being a good Princess, and the rightful heir to the throne of Solaria.

* * *

Bloom finally landed on the ground, releasing her transformation as soon as she could before watching Layla do the same.

The sun was setting, but they were off to a good start. A lot of creatures had smelled their presence, and the main entrances were covered by something their convergence created : it was like a sticky and burning glue.

All the animals in the area didn’t dare to approach it, but if they ever tried to, they would immediately be burnt, or stuck in it. The red head didn’t like the idea of hurting anything, but did it anyway. She knew that what lived on Domino wouldn’t hesitate to transform her into their next meal, after all.

‘Let’s go back inside, I’m famished,’ sighed Layla, stretching.

Bloom nodded.

‘Yeah, I bet they’re waiting for us to eat anyway.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, it really is a short chapter, but I’m happy I could write it.  
> Thank you to everyone following this story ! As always, comment and favourite, tell me what you thought of this chapter… I love reading what you have to say ^^  
> Until next week (hopefully) ^^


	11. Growing up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope there aren’t too many mistakes. I just finished writing this chapter, and I’m really tired. If you spot any, feel free to tell me ^^  
> Comment, subscribe… the usual ^^  
> A très bientôt ;)

Panic settled as soon as they realized Tecna and Stella were missing.

Musa tried to use her best friend’s instruments, but nothing seemed to work. She couldn’t contact her at all, as if she vanished.

They all found themselves in the cafeteria, under the dark gaze of Griselda. She hadn’t uttered a word, but they could feel the anger coming from her. They decided to ignore it, and to work on a way to find their friends.

Bloom and Layla suggested to go into the tunnels, but it was too dangerous. If their friends had disappeared, who knew would happen to them.

Musa stayed by Tecna’s computer, trying to do what her friend had taught her, in vain.

Flora simply sat, watching the scene unfold in front of her. She had no idea what she could do to help, and felt intimidated by her Professor’s judging eyes. She couldn’t think straight.

Her gaze met Musa’s, and they stared at each other for a time. The brunette gave her a little, encouraging smile, and Flora could only nod.

Her words had been touching, and she thought about what she said.

Caught in a spiral of despair, she forgot she even helped fight the Trix, or did succeed in bringing back Mirta when all her professors had been unsuccessful. She did that, and never needed anyone behind her to push her.

For some reason, she started this year with dark thoughts clouding her mind, and thinking she couldn’t do as much as her friends. Maybe because she saw how Bloom was now comfortable with her magic, even though she only practiced it for a year. Or because Layla was always so impressive when fighting.

Maybe because Stella was always using hers, and never seemed tired, or because Musa could do multiple things at the same time. It was also possible that Tecna’s powers in technology made her realize she couldn’t create a new world just by thinking about it.

But she was powerful, in her own way. She could fight. She had nature by her side. She could defend herself just fine, and would one day become a Fairy dedicated to protecting the world. That was her new plan.

She wouldn’t succeed if she stayed silent all the time, though.

Standing up, she focused under the surprised eyes of her friends.

‘I can find them.’

* * *

‘Tecna !’

Sighing, Stella started to feel a chill crawl up her spine. Something had settled in her stomach, and she felt horrible.

How long had she kept on going, while never worrying about her friend ?

She knew she was flawed when it came to people. She’d been so lonely or surrounded by people focused on pleasing, that she never learnt when her emotions got the best of her. The maids were used to it, and simply waited for her to stop. Her father smiled, before shaking his head and saying something to calm her down.

The only person that ever told her how bad she really acted, was her mother. But she could never see her, as she was always too busy with her business. And Stella herself was too occupied by school or princess duties.

When she came to Alfea for the first time, she started complaining about the rooms. She only discovered two months later that her room was much better than the other girls’. After that, she kept realizing how much of a brat she’d really been, and why she couldn’t seem to make any real friend.

Months went on, and for the first time in her life, she stopped doing her homework. After all, she knew that her father sent her to Magix to get rid of her, and she could deal with that. But she couldn’t handle being ignored.

Every time she called him, he had no time for her. The only times he would notice her, would be when she was getting into troubles. The decision was easy to make.

Eventually, she grew tired of all the gossip behind her back, and wished for nothing more but to get back to Solaria. That’s why she made the science lab explode.

‘Tecna !’

She couldn’t believe that it was happening all over again. She let her emotions get the best of her, and disregarded her friend’s wellbeing. Her teachers had been right.

She was not deemed to be a Princess, it seemed.

‘Here !’

Her heart missed a beat, but her legs immediately started running towards the voice.

She found Tecna, a hand on the wall while the other blocked the light coming from the sceptre. She looked exactly like she left her, and that made Stella sigh in relief. At least she hadn’t been hurt by whatever roamed down there.

The pink haired girl eventually found herself able to look at her friend despite the intense light, and Stella could only see emptiness in her eyes. They were devoid of all emotions, and even if Tecna prided herself on her rationality, it scared the blonde.

‘Let’s go.’

Her voice was flat, and she turned around, leading the way back to their friend.

Stella followed suit, trying to find something to say.

‘Why did you stop walking ?’

Her friend didn’t answer, and it made the blonde wince.

She was bad at talking to people, especially when the situation called for precaution and tact.

‘You could’ve gotten hurt you know.’

Tecna tensed, but otherwise didn’t say anything else and kept on walking.

‘I mean, we don’t know what’s ins-‘

‘Stop talking.’

Stella stopped in her tracks, almost losing the grip she had on her sceptre.

Never had she heard Tecna speak in such a manner. Even when she would be giving some kind of advice, Stella could understand why it sounded so harsh. But at this very moment, her brain could not seem to get past her words.

‘I’m sorry I did-‘

‘I said stop talking, not stop walking.’

Once again, Stella’s feet moved on their own, and speechlessly she followed her friend.

They didn’t have to wait very long before plants started growing around them, and panic settled.

‘What is that ?’ Shrieked the Princess.

‘Let’s hurry up.’

They transformed quickly, and immediately started flying towards the exit.

Although they noticed the vegetation didn’t seem to be particularly aggressive, they didn’t take any chances and rushed through the tunnel, until they could get out by the hole in the ceiling, and found themselves out in the court.

‘You were right Flora !’

The two girls slowly landed on the ground, under the eyes of four very worried friends, and one angry teacher.

Flora stood up, wearing nothing but a shirt and pant, sweating from everywhere. A flash of light appeared on her chest, and a big, tired smile graced her lips. Layla congratulated her immediately, followed by Musa and Bloom.

Griselda, however, was not fazed by that event.

‘What were you two girls thinking ?’

They both blinked.

‘Do you realize how dangerous it is for you to be out so late, in such a place ?’

Tecna looked at the blonde from the corner of her eyes, before shaking her head.

‘Sorry, Mrs. Griselda, we didn’t see the time fly by.’

Stella blinked, looking at her friend lowering her head, before setting her eyes back on their teacher. The latter muttered something, probably cursing them for being so much trouble, before walking back towards the bedrooms.

The four other girls tensed or bit their lip. They watched Tecna as she detransformed and started walking away too, before following their friend, unsure of what to do.

‘It was my fault.’

Everyone turned around, looking at her as if she’d grown another head.

‘I let my emotions get the best of me, and I didn’t notice that Tecna wasn’t following me anymore.’

She tried to look at her friends in the eyes, but found that it was too much for her. Her legs were shaking, and she felt like crying for some reason. Closing her fists and clenching her eyes shut, she kept on going.

‘I didn’t mean for this to happen. I’m sorry.’

She felt the magic in her veins get suddenly stronger, and the uncertainty she felt disappeared.

She got her Charmix.

But what she really noticed, was Tecna’s hand on her shoulder, and the little smile on her lips. It was tight, but present.

‘I forgive you’, she nodded. ‘I just need some time.’

With that, she walked away.

It didn’t take long for Stella to run after her, and imprison her in a tight hug.

‘Thank you.’

The pink haired girl tapped on her back, trying to reciprocate the gesture, before the blonde took a step back.

‘Of course.’

* * *

They ate and laughed, rejoicing in the fact that two of them had got their Charmix on the same day. This mission seemed to be going well, and even Griselda felicitated the girls.

Flora decided to train with her teacher, deciding on learning how to defend herself properly. Getting her Charmix was like a revelation, and she now knew she didn’t want to ever feel helpless again. Her powers would be hard to control, and to use in battle, but not impossible.

Stella had a revelation too, and started planning something with Tecna. She would be working on her relation towards other, she promised herself, in order to become a real princess. It was useless to pity herself and let the negative thoughts run around in her head. Instead, she would stand up to them and work her way to the top.

Bloom and Layla shared their feelings about getting this new power. After all, they felt the same need to change drastically. Griselda explained a little bit more, saying that it helped getting rid of a flaw, because it made you realize how better off you were without it.

Musa sat besides Tecna, noticing her friend had grown a lot more silent than she ever was.

‘I don’t want to talk about it.’

The brunette laughed.

‘Maybe you should.’

The pink haired girl stared at her little sandwich.

‘I don’t know what happened, honestly.’

Her friend stayed silent.

‘We were just talking and I just… got hurt, by what she said. I guess.’

Musa blinked.

‘Did she say anything in particular ?’

The technology Fairy shook her head.

‘Not really. She was just angry.’

‘Angry enough to make you stop walking.’

Tecna shrugged.

‘I don’t know what happened.’

The rest of the dinner was spent in silence for the both of them.

* * *

The next day, the girls thanked their luck.

Flora had been training outside with Griselda for the entire morning. She did not transform, but instead learned to react quickly, and effectively. Their teacher was still too weak to do enough magic for a lesson, but this gave her something to do.

Eventually, Musa got out of her room too. Her project was over, and she now only needed to master the song. The other girls didn’t really understand, and the Fairy tried to keep her work secret, so they didn’t bother to ask any questions.

Layla and Tecna had decided to go inside the tunnels and explore them, leaving Stella and Bloom to patrol. The blonde accepted quickly, tired of spending her days in the dark, while Bloom simply shrugged.

When the sun was high in the sky, three shadows appeared, and reminded the girls that it had been going far too well for the past few days.

None of the four girls outside noticed anything. The temperature dropped and the clouds turned black, but they weren’t surprised. This was Domino, after all, and they’d been expecting the bad weather.

When Flora suddenly found her feet stuck to the ground by ice, she immediately knew something was wrong. One look towards Musa, and they both transformed. The music Fairy then used her ultrasounds to free her friend.

‘I’ll occupy them. Just get Griselda inside.’

Flora nodded, and immediately took off with her teacher in her arms.

Icy laughed, while Darcy appeared right in front of Musa and used one of her spells to make her blind. The Fairy simply smiled, before closing her eyes and focusing on the sounds around her. The Witch had only one second to wonder why Musa was suddenly smiling, before music started surrounding her.

The blinding spell wore off as soon as Darcy was feeling too bad. Musa barely dodged an attack from Icy, before Stormy decided to take the matter into her own hands and physically punched the Fairy.

Musa lost control of her spell, and the Witch flew away to regain her senses.

Another wave of ice was sent her way, before it melted away and fell to the ground. The Fairy smiled as she spot her two friends behind the ice Witch, and watched them join the battle.

Stormy groaned, before grabbing Musa’s arm and electrifying her whole body. The Fairy screamed, and her magic exploded around her. The Witch was pushed away, but laughed when she saw the Fairy’s face : she was panting, sweating, and her whole body kept twitching. Even her wings seemed to have a hard time working.

But she couldn’t do much as vine suddenly shot from the ground, and grabbed her ankle, pulling her to the ground. More vegetation appeared, and the Witch found herself unable to move.

‘You okay ?’

‘Yeah.’

They both smiled when they saw Darcy appearing right in front of them, completely lost in her fight with Stella, and at the same time fired at her. The Witch was completely caught by surprise, and the shock from the spell made her land on the ground, hard.

Their eyes then went to Icy, who’s angry face told them nothing but bad news.

The last Trix standing suddenly looked at Musa, who still looked very weak from her fight against Stormy, and smiled wickedly. Before any of them could react, she’d made her way towards the Fairy, and grabbed her by her arms.

Then she teleported her sisters and the Fairy away.


	12. Musa's Rescue Party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone !   
> Sorry I didn’t update last week, school has been crazy !

Everything went too fast for the brunette.

She clearly remembers the cold hands on her arms before the feeling of darkness enveloped her.

The first time she ever travelled thanks to the magic of a witch had been with Mrs. Griffin, during the battle against the Trix in her first year. She could clearly remember the unease and the weird feeling like the magic had been crawling on her skin, but nothing too bad. Seconds later, she’d found herself in Alfea, surrounded by Fairies and Specialists, with the Witches behind her.

She never dwelt on it, too focused on the battle to come.

This time, it felt wrong. Terribly so.

As if electricity went through her veins, but it was too much for her body to handle. She screamed and bent forward, but the ice Witch quickly caught her hair and pulled on it, forcing the Fairy to straighten up.

The feeling faded soon enough, and she knew they arrived where the Witches had planned, but black dots clouded her vision. She vaguely remembered hearing them talk about something, as if they’d been angry, or stressed, before feeling someone push her forward.

She accepted the treatment and forced her feet to move accordingly.

Eventually, her vision came back and she was able to understand they were walking in a corridor. Seeing the grey stones all around her, she quickly understood the Trix brought her to Darkar’s Fortress.

Her heart started racing when she understood what it meant, but felt the lack of energy around her. This was the Trix’ playground after all, and she didn’t even have a Charmix. There was no way she could put up a fight, especially if she was to believe what Bloom and Stella had told her about their little trip in this exact place.

Maybe she could take one of them down, if she was smart enough. But taking them all heads on was suicide. So she decided to lay low, and act as if she was still too dazed to even think properly.

They walked for what seemed like an eternity, neither of them speaking up. Musa could only feel the tension in her back, somewhat understanding that this had not been the plan.

Some part of her grew hopeful, and knew she could take advantage of the situation.

But another part told her that, if the Trix were scared of something, maybe she should too. Especially if that something revealed itself to be Lord Darkar.

Layla was the only one of them who ever saw him, and it had sounded like horror stories. She barely survived her encounter with him, and she was the toughest of their group.

They walked down multiple stairs, so many that she eventually gave up on trying to understand where they came from. It was like a horrible maze, and Musa didn’t particularly enjoy those. Tecna would’ve been delighted, though.

She felt the magic leave the air around her, and almost suffocated from the lack of it.

The light started disappearing, as they entered another corridor full of wooden doors. She didn’t ask any question, even at that moment, but somehow knew she wouldn’t like to see what layed beyond them.

They walked to the furthest and biggest door, before Stormy stepped in front of all of them and started opening it.

‘Wait,’ interrupted Darcy.

Musa could only see Stormy’s annoyed face turn to her sister, Icy still behind her.

‘What ?’

She couldn’t see what Darcy did or mouthed to the other Witch, but clearly understood that was important enough for the youngest to let go of the handle and move to the closest door.

This time, she opened it without being interrupted.

Icy pushed her inside the room, before they closed her only way to escape behind them. She could only hear their cackles as they walked away, and she found herself alone in the dark.

The only sound reaching her ears was her own breathing. She stayed still for a long time, maybe hours, before her knees gave up. The tears started to pour by themselves on her cheeks, but she didn’t allow herself to make any more noise.

At some point, she fell asleep, but only realized it once she woke up, and wondered why her head was now on the ground.

The dark energy around her made her extremely weak, but she still had her wits.

Her brain started to work.

First, she tried to find the door. It took a moment, but she succeeded. The only problem was that she didn’t have a handle on her side.

The door was most likely enchanted to resist to magic, so she didn't even bother try to open it with her magic.

There was also a lot of probability that her magic could make everything fall apart, and she wasn't about to test that theory.

Instead she tried to discover a bit more of the room. With her hands, she traced the walls to evaluate how big the room was.

After a few rounds, she understood that this was a cell made for only one person, and she was lucky to not be chained to the walls.

She was somewhat reassured by the fact that there didn't seem to be anyone else in this cell, but some part of her longed for some contact.

She realized that it had been a long time since she'd been all alone. Most of the time her friends were outside her bedroom in Alfea, or she had some way of contacting them.

But sitting alone in the dark made her realize how much she grew accustomed to it. She was no longer the Tomboy Fairy who distanced herself from others on Melody, simply because she was too focused on her studies and couldn't find anyone who had the same level of ambition as her.

In less than two years, she made friends with the greatest people she'd ever met, and started enjoying life a little bit more. She came back to music thanks to her friends, who always made sure to acknowledge her talent. She became interested in Riven, even if he made everything too damn difficult.

Most of all, she found a friend and confident in Tecna. The pink haired girl was the first Fairy Musa ever met who seemed as interested as her in learning.

Albeit they had their own differences and sometimes argued because of different cultures, they could always find a middle ground and come to an understanding.

She promised herself that, if she made it out alive, she would enjoy their presence a lot more.

For now, she would simply try to believe in them.

They wouldn’t let her down.

* * *

At first, no one understood what had just happened. The girls simply stared at where the witches once were, forcing themselves to believe that their enemies simply fled.

But Tecna made a little sound, and suddenly found herself falling to the ground, too shocked to even react. But she didn’t really care. Hitting the ground didn’t hurt her at all, but the snow quickly .worked its way inside her suit, and brought her back to reality.

The other girls let themselves fall to the ground too, landing on their feet. They looked at each other with uncertainty before their eyes settled on Bloom.

The red head blinked, understanding that she would be the one to take the final decision. Of course they all knew what their only option was at this point.

Only one person would help them. Or rather, could help them.

Their professor was off the list, as tired as she was. They also couldn't exactly go to Ms. Griffin. It would be hard to explain what exactly they'd been doing on Domino.

So they moved Ms. Griselda back to Solaria, letting Astrid take care of her. They trusted Stella’s opinion on the girl.

Then, the blonde teleported them all to Magix, in front of a building they were now familiar with. They got inside, and walked up the stairs, not uttering a word along the way.

The wizard let them into the apartment with a small sigh, but didn't oppose himself when he saw the looks on their faces. Or when he realized one member of their party was missing.

Bloom was quick to explain the situation, and straightforward with the reason as to why they came.

The wizard thankfully accepted easily, and with Stella’s help, they were all gone at once. Only Tecna was left behind, because they couldn’t take too many risks. She needed a Charmix to stand her ground in front of the Trix, especially in the lair of the villains.

The Winx would be at a disadvantage as soon as they would be in the Fortress, and Tecna had to admit that it would be stupid to take such a risk. Her logical mind helped her process these thoughts, but a big part of her still wished she could go with them, somehow.

Fortunately, she could shut that little voice up.

Instead, she decided to monitor Mrs. Griselda in Solaria. She didn’t want to stay in Valtor’s own lair, after all. Plus she doubted the wizard would be happy if she was left alone. Even she couldn’t resist the temptation of sticking her nose everywhere.

The four girls and the wizard appeared at the end of the tunnel, still hidden in the shadows.

Valtor waisted no time and started making his way towards the big castle.

‘They either expect us or have already noticed we’re here, so let’s move.’

The girls nodded and followed his lead, running to keep up with him.

It was a stupid time to realize it, but he was tall. Every step he took asked three from them.

He didn’t seem to notice, and none of them complained. They had to find Musa as quickly as possible, before either of them was too weak to stay in this place. If walking a little bit faster than usual was the price to pay, then so be it.

They walked along the walls until they found a bridge, and Bloom understood that getting in would be a bit harder than last time : it led to nothing but a wall, which they would have to climb in order to get in.

The wall wasn’t that big, and she knew they could all do it, but it was still another stressful thing to add to what they already had on their mind.

The bridge had been an easy part this time, and oddly enough, there were no witches to attack them either. Stella and Layla didn’t comment on it, so Bloom followed their lead, but it still seemed weird.

By now, they should’ve tried something.

Layla was the first to go, while the wizard simply flew into the air and above them.

He landed in front of the doors, and put himself on one knee. The Andros Fairy stopped moving for a second, her whole body going tense, before he simply took off one of his gloves and presented his hand.

It took another minute for her to register what was happening, before she hesitantly took her left hand off the wall, and put it into his.

He didn’t smirk or boast. He didn’t even comment on what was happening, and instead lifted her up to his side. Layla thanked him with a little nod, before moving away as Stella started climbing.

She did complain, but was quick to lift herself up. She also accepted the help of Valtor, with a look of defiance in her eyes. He sighed, and simply looked back down at the nature Fairy.

Obviously Flora was experienced, because she didn’t even need the help of the wizard.

Bloom was the last one, and stopped for a second when she saw Valtor’s hand enter her vision. She lifted her gaze up to his face, seeing the seriousness on his face, and decided that it was alright to accept his help.

He was doing a lot for them, and she wasn’t about to provoke him.

Glancing behind her, Bloom couldn’t help but feel that this was all a trap.

She could understand that the Trix or the Shadow Phoenix wouldn’t come to personally deal with them. But she knew he had an army of monsters, and they were the one sent after Layla when she freed the Pixies.

He stopped Stella when she tried to open the doors, simply putting a hand onto the wooden gate.

‘We’ll have to be extremely careful. I don’t like this silence.’

They all nodded.

He then closed his eyes, and the wind started picking up around him.

The blonde had to turn around and cough from all the dust it had lifted in the air, while he stopped and looked back at them.

‘There are four people behind these doors, walking towards us.’

‘The Trix and Lord Darkar ?’ Asked Flora.

No one answered.

Instead, they all transformed and hid on the wall’s sides. Valtor was in front of the gates, prepared to attack. Bloom and Flora were on the right, while Layla and Stella were on the left.

The Solarian Fairy was instructed to do almost nothing. If things turned ugly, she was their only way out.

There was a moment where only the sound of the water around them could be heard.

Bloom stole a quick glance at Valtor, and realized that he didn’t seem as confident as usual. They understood he was preparing for the worst adversary, but she didn’t know the Shadow Phoenix was that big of an enemy.

For some reason, she missed his usual cockiness. Without his comments, the situation was all too real.

The left door opened slowly. Bloom immediately set her eyes back on it, sensing Flora positioning herself behind her too.

At first, all they could see was a hand, before the doors were violently pushed opened, and the girls had to fly up into the air.

‘Valtor !’

The wizard had taken off too, and was staring in boredom at the people in front of him.

Bloom had to move closer to him to eventually see the person who spoke.

‘Mrs. Faragonda ?’

They all stared at each other in surprise.

‘Don’t let them fool you !’ Spit a man that looked exactly like the Professor Avalon. ‘They’re clones !’

It took him less than a second to conjure a ball of lightning, and throw the Wizard and Bloom. The latter immediately grabbed his arm, and pulled him to the side.

‘What do we do ?’ Asked Layla as she joined the group.

‘Are we sure they’re our professors ?’

‘I don’t know Stella… Maybe they’re… I don’t know !’

Bloom couldn’t believe what was happening.

She was supposed to rescue her friend, not meet up with all the professors from Alfea.

It made no sense to see them here.

‘Wait !’ Spoke up the Professor Wizgiz. ‘We have one easy way to know if they’re our students.’

The Professor Avalon narrowed his eyes, still fixated on the Fairies, but waited.

‘Stella, what did you learn in the last class I taught you personally ?’

The blonde stared at him for some time, while her friends’ eyes widened in surprise at the news.

‘Nothing, we’ve never had any personal lessons.’

The Professor stayed quiet for a second, before a big smile appeared on his face, and he turned back to his companions.

‘You said the clones didn’t have the memory of the people they copy !’

The Professor Avalon sighed, before he nodded.

‘Very well, these may be your students. But why is that criminal with them ?’

Bloom glanced at Valtor, suddenly realizing that she may have forgotten about his presence altogether. She didn’t even think twice about what her professors would think when they noticed him. It just seemed natural to have him with by their side when they were on a dangerous mission, such as this one.

‘Bloom, can you give us an explanation ?’ Gently asked the Headmistress.

‘Wait !’ Interrupted Stella. ‘How do we know that you’re not clones ?’

Layla and Flora nodded.

‘Ask us anything,’ sighed Professor Palladium.

He seemed to be weaker than they’d ever seen in their life, and Bloom had to bite her lip.

They had to confirm their identity, but it didn’t make things better.

‘What happened during my first potion class ?’

The blonde professor smiled at Stella’s question.

‘You made an extremely rare and deadly poison, when you were only supposed to create scented water.’

Layla and Bloom had to stifle a laugh as Stella’s cheeks became red, before she muttered an apology for doubting them.

‘Now, can you explain why Valtor is here ?’

‘We don’t have that luxury,’ cut in the Wizard. ‘I believe one of your students is in the dungeons, and we need to get there before anything happens.’

Before any of them could protest, he nodded at Stella. She quickly got her sceptre out and flew down towards the teachers.

‘I’m bringing you to Solaria, hold on tight.’

Mrs. Faragonda looked at Bloom one last time, before they all disappeared.

Somewhere in her stomach, the red head acknowledged the fact that a discussion would be required from all of them. The truth was finally coming out, but not in the way she’d planned it. It scared her to the core.

In a flash of light, Stella was back, seemingly replenished from spending some mere seconds on her home planet.

She immediately turned back to her civilian clothes, just like her friends, and Valtor started leading them down the corridor.

At first they didn’t ask any questions, turning and walking straight towards somewhere when he did, but it eventually grew suspicious.

‘Have you been there before ?’

‘Yes.’

His voice was cold.

Layla didn’t ask any more questions, but it made them realize that there was a lot more to him that they didn’t know.

Bloom tried to ignore the thoughts in her head telling her that maybe he was working with Lord Darkar. Some part of her knew it was false, but the likelihood was still very high. He was, after all, and evil Wizard.

If he wished to gain more power, he could turn to the Shadow Phoenix like the Trix had. She bet this Lord would be thrilled to gain someone as powerful as Valtor and add him to his list of minions.

Then again, she didn’t picture Valtor working for anyone but himself.

Her friends must’ve come to the same conclusion as her, because none of them stopped.

It became harder to breath as they walked down the stairs and into the darkest parts of the Fortress. Still, they didn’t ask questions. There was no time to lose.

He eventually stopped in a corridor.

‘It’s a dead end,’ noticed Flora.

He hummed, and they all felt his magic rise.

For a moment, the thought that it had been a trap came back, before he turned on his heels and towards one wooden door in particular.

He opened it, and sure enough, they all heard a gasp.

The Wizard looked back at them and nodded.

Layla rushed inside the room with Flora, while Bloom and Stella stayed on their guards.

Soon, the brunette was out. Exhausted, but a happy smile on her face.

‘Let’s go,’ ordered the Wizard.

Stella couldn’t teleport them anywhere as long as they were inside the Fortress, so they tried their best to walk out as fast as they could. But of course, they should’ve known their luck would run out.

When they finally came out unscratched, Stella got her sceptre out and prepared herself to teleport them all away, before they realized three familiar figures were flying in front of them.

‘Leaving so soon ?’ Cackled Stormy.

The ice Witch moved forward.

‘Haven’t you forgotten someone ?’

A ball appeared in front of them, with their Pixies asleep inside of them.

‘What do you want Icy ?’ Asked Bloom, her patience running thin.

The Witch laughed.

‘I want to know where the Pixies’ Village is !’

‘You know we won’t tell you,’ calmly assured Layla. ‘Why try ?’

The Witches widened their eyes in a mocking fashion.

‘Here I thought you would want to help your little friends,’ pouted Darcy as she moved to take the ball into her own hands.

Layla transformed without thinking twice.

‘If you hurt them…’

‘It’ll be your fault !’ Spit out the ice Witch. ‘We’re willing to exchange those pathetic creatures against the location of their village.’

Layla’s breath caught in her throat, and she turned to look at Bloom helplessly.

The red head tightened her fists, trying to come up with some kind of idea.

‘We don’t know where it is,’ she said.

‘You may not,’ laughed the illusion Witch. ‘But she does.’

Bloom refused to turn her eyes back onto Layla.

‘We can’t accept those terms.’

‘Then that’s your loss,’ gritted Icy between her teeth.

Stormy flew in front of them, and as if she was ready to give them the best show of their life, she clapped two times in her hands.

Layla was the first to notice that the ball was slowly becoming smaller.

‘Tick tock Fairies.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG I’m so tired and sorry that I can’t give you more than that.  
> I’m super duper tired, and sick. Horribly sick. So I hope this chapter’s quality is ok.  
> The holidays are starting at the end of this week, so the next two chapters should be up in time.  
> As always leave a comment, subscribe, like… and see you in the next chapter !


	13. Lucky Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so as some of you may have noticed, last chapter had some mistakes. I’ll rewrite it someday, but I’m not surprised because it was rushed and I was sick. I’m kinda ashamed but I’m more focused on getting the story to go on.  
> This chapter is way shorter, but I didn’t have the time to write anything so… yeah, I hope you’ll still enjoy it ^^

‘Tick tock Fairies.’

Layla slowly let Musa rest against the wall, and called onto her Charmix.

‘You think a little accessory is about to scare us ?’ Laughed Stormy.

Her sisters were not as amused as her though, and eyed the little bag and pin with caution.

Bloom nodded at Layla, and called upon it too, soon imitated by the rest of her friends.

‘You should know not to underestimate us,’ said Stella, the only one still on the ground with Musa.

Flora was flying in front of them, unsure of herself. After all, plants couldn’t live here, so there wasn’t a lot she could do. Still, she stayed focused on the Witches, ready to protect her friends.

She could at least manage a shield.

Icy furrowed her brows at them, before turning her attention back to her nemesis.

‘I didn’t expect you to be so cold hearted.’

‘I’m not,’ answered the red head.

A second passed, before they both attacked each other, and soon got caught in another fight of their own. Darcy and Stormy didn’t react, their eyes still fixated onto the other Fairies.

Stella and Flora bit their lip, unsure of what they should do.

Valtor, for his part, stared at the exchange with mild interest.

It was interesting to see those Fairies fight, and to observe those three Witches that reminded him so much of his Mothers. But he also was in Lord Darkar’s lair, and if those Trix girls had been sent to stop them, that meant he knew that his son was here.

At least the Witches seemed to ignore that part, but the Wizard wouldn’t take any chances.

He was trying to come up with a plan to save the Pixies and to get out of there soon, but now that Bloom was fighting her own battle against the ice Witch, it would be a lot harder to just get back to the Solarian Fairy and disappear.

Some part of him wished that these girls would’ve been satisfied with getting back their friend, and would’ve accepted this loss as part of life. But of course, Fairies didn’t work that way.

It had always been useful to him to act on this weakness of theirs. Funny, even. Especially when he was at war, and he could see the pain in the eyes of his enemies. It always meant he won, and he liked it.

Now, though, he wished it had never existed. That Fairies could understand that, sometimes, it was better to think about themselves first, and let others deal with their own problem.

‘My patience is running thin,’ said Darcy as she made the ball even smaller.

‘You know what ? I’ve got an even better idea !’ Interrupted Stormy, before taking the ball into her own hands. ‘If you don’t give us the location of the Pixie Village, you’ll have the pleasure to watch your little friends fall to their death.’

With a smile plastered on her face, she extended her arm with the ball in her hand, and started counting.

‘Five.’

Layla gritted her teeth and attacked the storm witch, but was quickly repelled by her sister. Her head collided with the wall behind her, and Flora had to catch her before she lost all balance.

‘Four.’

Stella and Flora exchanged a quick look. The latter couldn’t conjure any plant to catch the ball, while the other still had to teleport them all back to Solaria, which forced her to stay close to the other Fairies.

‘Three.’

There was a sudden explosion above them, and they heard Icy’s scream of rage.

A wave of hit flew past them, and they winced at how hot it was.

‘Oh to hell with it.’

Turning her palm down, Stormy let the ball with all the Pixie inside fall down.

Layla had barely regained consciousness, and only let out a small gasp when she saw the movement.

Valtor prepared himself to fight back the two Witches, but was pushed to the side by the music Fairy who suddenly threw herself at the ball, with no transformation whatsoever.

‘Musa !’

With horrified eyes, they watched their friend hold the ball tightly to herself.

The Wizard hesitated to fly down after her, before spotting Bloom and the Witch fighting a downwards.

Realizing the music Fairy knew what she was doing, he immediately looked back to the sisters and, with a simple wave of his hand, sent them flying backwards.

‘Your friend will be fine,’ he said as he turned around to face the Fairies. ‘We have to get ready to go.’

Meanwhile, Musa could feel the air around her.

It was a horrible feeling, to fall to a certain death, but she decided she didn’t care. She trusted her friends.

A flash of light appeared on her chance, and made her smile.

At least, if Bloom didn’t see her, she would’ve gotten her Charmix.

With a last look at her Pixie, she closed her eyes, and she prepared herself to scream.

She needn’t though.

Her friend’s attention was caught because of this flash of light, and she was by her side a second later.

Icy groaned and attacked them, but Bloom did succeed in hiding them behind a pillar.

‘Why did you do that ?!’

‘I knew you wouldn’t see the ball, but you’d hear me if I screamed,’ breathlessly explained her friend.

‘You didn’t scream !’

‘I know !’ Laughed Musa. ‘You saw me before I could !’

Shaking her head, the fire Fairy quickly them back up to where the rest of the group was, dodging Icy’s attacks as best as she could.

‘Quick !’ Screamed Stella.

Everything was starting to turn to ice around them, and Bloom wasted no time.

She somewhat felt the presence of someone behind her, someone far more powerful than any of the Trix, and even more dangerous than anything she’d felt from Valtor, before she caught the hand of Flora.

She didn’t have time to process anything that happened. Instead, she suddenly felt the rays of the sun on her back, and the grass beneath her as she felt forward.

She heard the grunts from her friends.

Suddenly, she felt more powerful, as her energy came back at once. Her breathing became quite hectic, but she was able to sit back up.

Looking around herself, she realized they were all back on Solaria, in the woods near the Castle.

A small giggle escaped her, and she had to put her face in her hands to stop herself from making any more sounds.

She felt like she was going crazy, but couldn’t care less.

Against all odds, they were all alive. They got their friend and their Pixies back, alive, in one piece. Their teachers were also safe inside the walls of the castle, and that meant they had a perfect explanation as to why they behaved so weirdly back in school.

‘Sorry to interrupt your little moment,’ drawled out Valtor. ‘But I do hope you have an explanation to give to your teachers ?’

She grunted as reality hit her hard.

‘Let’s get back inside,’ interrupted Layla.

‘With him ?’ Asked Stella, her eyes landing on the wizard before going back to her friend.

‘By now, I’m sure they figured out who he was. No need to hide it from them anymore.’

While Bloom slowly stood up, finding it was hard after all they’d been through, she looked at the criminal amongst them. Weirdly enough, there wasn’t a single trace of a smile on his lips. He seemed as serious as they were, and once again, she couldn’t help but think it was a bad sign.

‘We have to free the Pixies of that thing, too,’ said Tecna.

‘They’re only breathing,’ said Musa, eyeing the Pixies in her arms, stuck in a yellow bubble.

‘It looks like my Morphix.’

The music Fairy nodded.

‘Miss Faragonda will probably know what to do,’ said Layla.

She turned around and started making her way towards the big castle. Stella followed immediately, and the rest slowly started walking.


	14. Traitors

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m back ? Yes, you’re not dreaming.  
> By the way I’m not abandoning this story, ever, so don’t worry XD

They were faced with a hard choice.

Now that their teachers knew about their affiliation with Valtor, they had to either confront them, or make them forget. Most of them agreed on the first option, but the Wizard seemed confident when he said the only solution was the second.

Bloom couldn’t help but silently agree. It was obvious Miss Faragonda was going to go ballistic at the simple sight of him. She fought him, after all, and lost dear friends because of him. She lost her childhood fighting a war because of him.

They still decided to enter the room where their professors rested with their heads high, and the dark Wizard following them closely.

The first hint they got as to how bad the situation would become was the opened door. As runaways, one would’ve expected them to be as discreet as possible. But they shrugged it off, trusting their professors, and entered the room.

They expected screams or threats, but not complete silence.

They tensed up as soon as she saw the guards surrounding the room, Astrid with glowing handcuffs on who made it impossible to move her wrists, and the professors down on the ground.

‘What’s happening here ?’

The guards looked at each other, caught off guard by the sudden appearance of their Princess. The only one who reacted was standing beside Astrid, and he stood out amongst all the security men. His long blue cape alone made him distinguishable. But the shining sword strapped at his waist also caught the attention of everyone.

‘We found traitors in our own castle, Princess Stella. Rest assured this will not happen again.’

Bloom and Stella exchanged a look.

‘Release them now, they are under my protection.’

The guard raised a curious eyebrow.

‘I’m sorry Princess Stella, but their identity has been checked. They are not who they appear to be, your real professors are in your school. Do not worry, the situation is under control’

Stella let out a long sigh, her patience running thinner by the second.

‘When your Princess gives you an order, you obey.’

Flora bit her cheek at the scene before her. She was the one holding onto the Pixies, and without saying a word, she slowly stepped back out into the corridor, ready to fly away as fast as her wings would allow her.

‘I can’t, the Magical Council has ordered to capture these criminals and bring them before justice. Solaria must obey.’

‘Me and my father may have to agree to what the Council says, but you have to answer to me before anyone else.’

‘I’m sorry Princess Stella, but this isn’t a matter you can just-‘

Of course it had been a question of time before any other guard noticed the dark wizard standing behind them all, and as one of them ran towards the General, they all winced and prepared to attack, even in their weakened state.

‘I’m sorry Princess, but I have to ask the reason as to why this man is here ?’ The General asked with his eyes set on Valtor, while his hands slowly moved to grasp the handle of his sword.

‘It is none of your business General, there are things happening that are bigger than what you could ever imagine.’

‘What I know is that you’re bringing war criminals inside our own castle, and that I cannot tolerate.’

‘You have to, you answer to-‘

‘Your father, Princess Stella. With all due respect, until you take your rightful place on the throne, I do not have to do as you say.’

‘Very well then.’

The light of her transformation surprised her friends, but they quickly followed her example.

‘Winx, we have people to free.’

With that said, she immediately started attacking the General, while the others tried to keep the other guards off. Flora stayed in the corridor, unsure of what her next action should be.

‘There are six of them,’ informed Tecna.

‘A piece of cake,’ laughed Musa as she used her sonic attack on three of them at once, bringing them to their knees, holding their hands over their ears.

‘I have to agree,’ said Layla as she trapped two of them in Morphix bubbles. ‘The security isn’t as good as it used to be.’

‘Focus girls,’ answered Tecna with a roll of her eyes, while she conjured an electric prison.

Bloom heated up the whole thing, and it disappeared in an electric explosion with smoke all around, letting the unconscious guard fall to the ground.

They redirected their attention on the General and Stella.

‘Let’s get the teachers,’ commanded Tecna, leading Layla and Musa towards them.

They helped them stand up. They were so weak it was difficult to believe it, but they ignored that fact and led them outside, Miss Griselda heavily relying on Musa. They passed Valtor, who did not even bother to look at them as he stepped aside to let everyone get out as fast as possible. They started running with Flora leading them on.

‘You’ve lost General, I really don’t want to fight you,’ breathed out the blonde.

Bloom looked behind her, and locked eyes with Valtor.

His whole body was tense, ready to react if anything were to happen. For some reason, he seemed to be hesitant as to join the battle. The red head could understand, as she perfectly knew what would happen if he was caught, but she was still surprised at the fact he didn’t seem thrilled to fight anyone. To show-off how powerful he was.

She furrowed her eyebrows, questions running in her head, before the General brought her back to reality.

‘You’re a traitor to your own nation !’

He stepped forward, his sword dangerously close to Stella’s chest, but she cleared out of the way and answered by blinding him with Solaria’s light, making him groan and step back.

This let Bloom the opportunity to fly past him and reach Astrid.

‘Just get me out of those things,’ she said as brought her wrists up.

‘I don’t know ho-‘

‘Just touch that damned button.’

She brought her right wrist under Bloom’s nose, and the red head blinked when she realized there was a big, blue button on the side. It was the size of a finger. The red head hesitantly brought her hand closer to it, somehow expecting it to blow-up.

‘Are you sure ?’

‘Yeah. They’re designed to make prisoners see how to take them off, but they cannot touch it themselves.’

‘Oh.’

‘Just touch it with one of your damn fingers so we can get out of here !’

At that moment, something exploded behind the two of them, and made Bloom turn around.

Stella and the guard were on both sides of the room, as if they’d been sent into the walls by some unexpected force. Valtor still stood outside, his eyes onto the General.

The Solarian Princess groaned, opened her eyes with obvious difficulty, and stepped forward as she fell into a fighting stance. Her gaze fell onto her two friends. She shook her head towards the door, before focusing onto the General.

‘Come on !’ Pressed Astrid.

Bloom immediately pressed her finger onto the cuffs, and they immediately fell down to the ground, the light slowly subsiding. The red head then started running towards the door, knowing Astrid was following closely.

It was when the red head had almost reached Valtor that she saw his eyes widening suddenly, and knew something was wrong.

‘Stella !’

Bloom turned around, just in time to see Astrid running back towards her best friend stumbling backward as the sword of the General came down on her. A scream came out of her throat before she could control it, but it was too late for her to do anything.

She watched in horror as Astrid pushed Stella out of the way as the sword cut through her back like butter, and blood covered the three of them.

The two Solarian Fairies fell to the ground, Astrid in Stella’s lap, while the General stepped back, seemingly taken aback.

Bloom felt the dark energy take over her, and before she could control herself, she threw the General towards the wall.

There was no trace of smile or satisfaction of what he did, but this wasn’t enough for the girl. She created a circle of fire around him, and created more smoke than she ever did. It filled the whole little prison she just created.

She heard him fall to his knees as his armour hit the ground, but didn’t stop there, even though she couldn’t see him anymore as the flames got higher and higher. She made sure it would get hotter in there, and couldn’t stop herself, even when the thought of him possibly dying entered her head.

The spell dissipated nonetheless, and she turned towards the Wizard, sensing his magic altering hers.

‘What do you think you’re doing ?!’

His eyes didn’t betray any emotion as they met hers.

‘You’re going to kill him.’

‘So what ?’

He blinked in surprise, but before she could let herself get any more angry, a blinding light came from Stella.

Bloom and Valtor had to close their eyes and turn around, letting it subside.

‘Astrid !’ Screamed Stella.

They heard another laugh, and both Dragon Flame keepers turned around in shock.

Standing before them was Astrid, in a beautiful blue and purple gown, perfectly assorted to her now blue hair. It was flowing like feathers in the wind. She also had two pigtails, with little purple braids in it. A little crown had appeared onto her forehead, made of a deep blue with a purple stone in the middle of it.

Her wings were very simple, but bigger than what Bloom had ever seen. They were of a beautiful gold on the sides, and completely transparent on the inside, but somehow still shone like crystals. They were very sharp on the edges, a little like what Flora had.

She was standing on her toes, as if it was the most natural position in the world, and golden laces went up her legs, starting from her big toes and reaching her knees.

Her eyes were also of a deeper purple now. It made her seem a lot more grown-up than minutes ago, when she was still blonde and in her civilian clothes.

‘You’re alive,’ breathed out Bloom as Stella embraced her friend.

The red head stepped back, eyeing the General in the back of the room. She could see he was breathing too, and she had to control herself when she felt tears in her eyes threatening to fall down.

‘Let’s get out,’ said the Wizard to everyone of them.

Stella took her friend’s hand, heading out, but Astrid didn’t move past the corridor.

‘I’m sorry Stella,’ she said with a little smile. ‘I have to stay, for my family. I don’t want to worry them.’

‘But the guards will-‘

‘I can hide myself, don’t worry. I trust you to clear out this mess, like you always do.’

They stared at each other, and with one last hug, they each went their separate ways.

Bloom got chills as her eyes met Astrid’s, feeling totally naked under her gaze. The power that now radiated from her was more powerful than what she’d ever seen in her life, except maybe in Lord Darkar’s Fortress, when the Trix attacked them. But assuredly, their Charmix could not compare.

Astrid also seemed wiser. The energetic and bubbly girl was still there, that much was obvious, but something made Bloom frown as the blue haired Fairy gracefully took off the ground, golden powder falling from her wings.

‘The others must be in the gardens,’ said Stella as she slowly took off the ground, obviously exhausted.

She didn’t wait for them to follow her though, and Bloom had to stop staring at Astrid..

They were quickly outside, unspotted by the many guards that seemed to make their way into the room they just left. Bloom could feel the anger coming off in waves from her friend, and bit her lip as she knew that tonight would be catastrophic.

They had to find a place to stay before the night came upon them, and would have to talk to their professors about the reason the dark Wizard was with them.

They finally came out, and were met by Musa who quickly led them to the others.

Stella almost passed out when her feet touched the ground, and let Flora help her rest against a tree. Tecna and Layla were by their teacher’s side, although none of them were talking. All of their eyes had settled on the three, and more precisely on Stella who still had a lot of blood on her.

‘What happened ?’ Immediately asked their Headmistress, unable to hide her worry.

‘I’m alright,’ reassured the Princess. ‘Something happened to my friend but she’s… good.’

Everything fell into quietness, as the professors eyed the dark Wizard with hatred burning in their eyes.

‘Now girls, I am very happy that you came to rescue us, but why is this man with you ?’

Bloom sighed.

‘It’s a long story Professor.’

‘And one I want to hear,’ insisted Miss. Faragonda.

‘One you’ll hear later,’ cut in the Professor Avalon. ‘For now, we need to focus on finding a place to hide. Surely those guards will come after us.’

‘Solaria isn’t safe for us anymore,’ nodded Tecna. ‘And there are only two places we could go to.’

Bloom turned to her friend, worried.

‘I’m sorry, but we have to go to Earth. It’s the only place they can’t check.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Astrid got her Enchantix ? Yep. This is kind of an introduction to what I want to do.  
> I always hated how the Winx looked. It was very underwhelming. The dresses were far from realistic (like hi, everyone can see their panties, how are they supposed to look menacing/impressive ?), and I couldn’t understand how they stood on their tippy toes like that. So here, my idea to make it a little bit more grown up, I hope you like that idea.


	15. Earth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 15 !  
> And I’m on time… what’s happening to me

Bloom refused that they go to her parents’ house. After what happened the past year, she didn’t want to put them in any more danger. If she were to bring her teachers there, Mike and Vanessa would become targets or collateral damage. She just couldn’t bear the thought of it.

She accepted to go to Earth. She settled on her home country so there would be no language barrier. She begrudgingly obliged when her friends told her they would feel safer in Gardenia. In the end, they settled in the only motel of the town, far from the city.

Valtor used his magic and convinced the woman at the counter they had reserved rooms. The Professors were still taking in their surroundings as Bloom and him chose the number of rooms, and tried to have them as close as possible.

Without a word, they took the keys and walked up to the second floor, trying to ignore each other as best as they could. The girls could feel the gazes of their professors on them, making them feel a lot more self-conscious than usually.

Tecna put herself in front of the door, and put a little device on it. They had to wait for a minute or two, but it quickly gave them the signal that they could finally enter the room. The pink haired girl then took it off and opened the door.

It was as if the original room had been duplicated ten times : there was a long corridor and on each side of it, a bedroom with a personal bathroom in the back, followed by the same bedroom with the same bathroom.

The floor was made of brown wood, while the walls were covered in a green wallpaper. The beds all had old white sheets, and a nightstand next to them with a lamp. The bathroom was completely white.

Overall, Bloom was just happy there were no rats or insects anywhere.

They all entered, and Flora helped Stella get into bed before she completely passed out from exhaustion. Meanwhile, everyone else claimed their own bed, the professors settling for the ones at the back.

The red head walked out once she settled her things on the bed in front of Stella, then let her back lightly hit the door. She looked up towards the sky, watching the stars shining bright as if they could be her answer. She closed her eyes and sighed, taking a break for the first time in what seemed to be forever.

The sound of boots made her slowly look at the man next to her.

‘What are you still doing here ?’ She asked.

There was no anger in her voice, just curiosity.

‘We need to talk.’

She huffed.

Her mind immediately went back to the moment she almost took the life of that General, completely consumed by her anger. The images of him lying on the ground, almost lifeless, had been replaying in her head for a while now.

She was thankful that Valtor stopped her, because she would be a mess right now. He didn’t deserve it, at all. Everything had just spiralled out of control, even she could admit that. She knew he never meant to kill anyone, he was simply defending his country as he could.

‘What ? You’re going to tell me how important life is and what I did was wrong ?’

He smirked.

‘No, I trust you to be able to stop yourself next time.’

She stared at him, surprised he didn’t want to talk about it. Anyone else would’ve tried to understand why she did but most importantly made sure she didn’t do it again. Sometimes, she forgot that this man had seen and done things she couldn’t even imagine.

He didn’t care if she killed someone. He was only interested in his own little person.

He only stopped her because he knew she would react badly, forcing him or her friends to take care of her while she recovered and tried to come to terms with what she’d done.

‘I wanted to inform you that I may have a lead on what happened to your parents, and where to find them.’

She frowned.

‘I never asked you to help me find them, why-‘

‘I have reasons to think they’re with the Ancestral Witches.’

She felt hope rising in her.

‘They’re alive ?’

He took a second to answer.

‘Yes. I think so.’

‘You think so ?’

He looked away.

‘I’m not sure, that’s what it means.’

Bloom closed her eyes again, the feeling of hope slowly evaporating.

‘Where would they be ?’

The wind picked up around her. She suddenly became aware of the noises around her, may it be the cars on the road next to the motel or the night birds awakening. It felt like home.

For a single moment, she wondered how easy her life would be if she were still dreaming of Fairies, unbeknown to her that she was one herself. Her adoptive parents wouldn’t have to worry for their lives, and her friends wouldn’t have to throw themselves into danger. The Trix would’ve never been able to raise their Army, and Darkar wouldn’t try to use her for whatever reason he had.

She opened her eyes to find Valtor calmly staring off in the distance, seemingly in his own thoughts too.

If she had to be honest with herself, the man wasn’t so bad looking. Quite the contrary.

His long hair made her want to run her fingers in it. His coat was something she would definitely steal if they were in a relationship. Maybe she would ask him advice on what to wear, because he had some great sense of fashion.

Eyes had always been something she liked in people, however, his didn’t reflect a lot. He either wore a smirk, plastered on his face as some kind of Joker wannabe, or he was dead serious. Few were the moments where he let down his guard to show anyone what he was really like.

But more than that, she felt something was wrong with his gaze. Sometimes, she could swear he was thinking about anything else but what was happening in front of him.

As he redirected his attention on her, Bloom suddenly realized she’d been staring at him like a freak for a good minute. She fought off the blush coming to her cheeks, and looked out too, hoping to play it off.

He didn’t comment on it.

‘I don’t know either.’

It took her every last bit of strength she still had to remember what they’d been talking about. She nodded slowly, pursing her lips.

‘So how do you know you can find them ?’

‘I know where to start our research.’

‘Really ?’

He nodded.

‘On Domino. There is an ancient library. I never had access to it as an enemy of your Kingdom… but it shouldn’t matter now.’

‘But if you never had access to it, how do you kn-‘

‘I know there’s a book about your bloodline. People used to say it was enchanted.’

She frowned.

‘You believe rumours ?’

‘I believe that it was one of the most well-guarded places on Domino, one even the Ancestral Witches never had access to. It would at least lead us in the right direction.’

A smile graced her lips.

‘Thank you.’

His eyes slightly narrowed, as if he doubted the words coming out of her mouth.

‘You don’t know how much this means to me.’

He kept staring at her, before a little sigh left his mouth, and the smirk was back on again.

‘Don’t get used to it Princess.’

He turned around, leaving her alone in the opened corridor.

‘Aren’t you staying ?’ She asked before she could think about it.

He turned around slowly, and their eyes met once again. He had a curious eyebrow raised, but nothing more.

‘Why would I ?’

_Because I’d feel safer_ , she immediately thought.

He may be a criminal, but he was a damn powerful one.

‘None of us should be alone right now.’

He hummed, as if he sensed her lie.

‘I’m glad you’re thinking about my safety, but some part of me wonders what your professors will think of me being amongst you all.’

She bit her lip, and nodded.

‘I’ll be back by tomorrow morning, anyway. We need to work on what happened with your professors, and what to do about your parents.’

She nodded again, and watched silently as he melted into shadows.

Then, after thinking a bit too much, she opened the door to their room, prepared for a war.

Which never came.

Stella and Flora were fast asleep while the other girls were taking care of the Pixies as they woke up. As for the teachers, they were quietly talking by themselves. Everything seemed normal, for the moment. Bloom decided to play it safe though, thus making her way towards Layla first.

‘Valtor left ?’ Asked the girl.

Bloom nodded.

‘That’s for the best,’ sighed Layla, her eyes landing on the professors.

‘How have things been ?’ Asked the red head, changing the subject of conversation as fast as she could.

‘Since the three minutes we’ve been here ? Good, I guess. Chatta and Amore have woken up as soon as we settled, but they’re sleeping with their Fairies right now.’

‘And for the others ?’

‘I guess they’re just resting. It seems Darkar had them imprisoned in a much darker prison than last time.’

Bloom looked down on the bed, watching the little Pixies sleeping peacefully.

‘And our teachers ?’

‘Haven’t said a word,’ interrupted Tecna as she came out of her bathroom. ‘I ordered pizza, I hope it’ll be enough for everybody.’

‘Pizza ?’ Repeated Layla, frowning.

‘It’s quite popular on Earth,’ explained Bloom with a little smile.

‘And it’s delicious. She made us try it at the beginning of last year and you will not be disappointed.’

Bloom shook her head, still laughing at how much cultural differences there were between her and her friends.

‘I guess it’ll be a good time to try and explain the situation to our professors,’ said Layla as she slowly stood up, stretching.

‘And to find a plan to finally get back to Alfea,’ nodded Tecna.

Bloom glanced at Lockette, who slept soundly next to her little friends. Even in her sleep, she seemed drained of all energy. This made her angry, because the Pixie didn’t deserve it. None of them did.

Life in the Magical Dimension was great, but there was always a problem.

When she came to Alfea, she expected to be stressed about school, making friends, avoiding bullies, and maybe finding herself a boyfriend. She was excited at the idea of doing magic or having wings, something she dreamed about since, well, forever.

In the end, her school was taken over, she stayed with the same friends, the bullies became mortal enemies, and she rejected the only potential person that could’ve become her boyfriend. Doing magic wasn’t as thrilling anymore, because it was like a second nature. Sometimes she didn’t even think about it.

Having wings had been fun, but now she had to earn another transformation. She had to become stronger, to fight enemies that could very well kill her.

Last year, she didn’t know what she was getting into. It had seemed surreal, like a TV show.

If she were honest with herself, she didn’t even realize she could’ve died. Everything happened so quickly, and she’d been so angry with the Witches that she overlooked the real danger. No real damage came to her or her friends. Magic had been the answer to any problem after the battle, such as Alfea’s destruction.

‘Earth to Bloom !’

She blinked, and focused on a curious Musa.

‘What ?’

‘We were trying to ask about what happened to Stella’s friend ? She wasn’t with you.’

Bloom bit her lip.

‘Is she alright ?’ Asked Layla, worried by her friend’s silence.

The red head shook her head.

‘Well there was an accident with the General… and then she… transformed. It was really weird. She had big wings… well to be honest everything about her changed. She had blue hair, her eyes seemed different… I-‘

‘She got her Enchantix ?’ Interrupted Musa.

With one look at Bloom’s face, her friends quickly understood she had no idea what she was referring to.

‘Oh my… It’s basically the strongest transformation for a Fairy !’

‘So it’s… normal that she changed so much ?’

The three Fairies exchanged an uncertain look, putting Bloom on edge.

‘Is there something you’re not telling me ?’

‘Well,’ started Tecna. ‘As Fairies, we fight for peace. When you earn that transformation, you prove to everyone that you are ready to make a great sacrifice.’

Bloom frowned.

‘What do you mean ?’

The images of the sword going through Astrid replayed in her head, but somehow she could not connect that to her friend’s words.

‘You have to… put your life on the line for someone of your own planet.’

‘Of course not every Fairy earns that transformation,’ immediately interrupted Musa. ‘Not everyone needs to fight for the greater good.’

‘As a Princess though, it is expected of you,’ informed Layla.

Bloom laughed lightly, her eyes darting to the sides of the room.

It all suddenly felt very suffocating.

‘But don’t worry about it. For most Fairies, it comes easy. It is in our nature.’

‘I don’t wanna die though,’ said Bloom before she could contain herself.

Her friends seemed to avoid her gaze once she said that.

‘As I’ve said, you don’t have to.’

‘But it would be better if I did.’

Bloom didn’t wait for any answer. She got up, bid her friends a good night, and took a long, hot shower to forget about the day’s events. She needed the break.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this chapter is kind of an in-between.  
> I hope you like the lack of action, but there should be more happening in the next chapter.  
> Thank you to everyone who’s following me, this is so important to me.  
> Don’t hesitate to comment, for whatever reason !


	16. Stand Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, after a month without posting anything, I’m back on track and posting every week.  
> I’m so glad to see you all keep commenting and seeing new people following this story.  
> Thank you everyone.

At first the Winx all tried to avoid their teachers, at any cost. May it be by going in town or simply trapping themselves in the bathroom for hours on end, it didn’t matter. It also let the professors rest, so they worked with that excuse if any of them were ever caught.

Bloom had to stop Valtor from entering their room the first two days. It seemed he was impatient to confront Miss Faragonda, but the red head wasn’t ready to face anyone yet, especially not her professors with him by her side. The third day, he didn’t show up, as she had pleaded, saying she needed time. To convince her teachers or herself, she didn’t tell.

Mitzy, however, did show herself.

Bloom had felt something dark lurking around the parking lot. She did not think twice about it, too worried that her teachers might see the Wizard. She almost ran outside, ready to stop the man, when instead she stumbled into an old acquintance.

Both girls had stared at each other for a few seconds, before the dark haired girl had frowned, as if offended by the red head’s presence.

‘What are you doing here ? Back again from that mysterious school of yours ?’

Looking around, Bloom didn’t see a trace of the person she was looking for. She furrowed her eyebrows, turning around for a second to make sure he wasn’t trying to play any tricks on her, but was quickly interrupted by an annoyed Mitzy.

‘Are you hearing voices now ?’ She smirked, though the emotion did not quite reach her eyes. ‘Or are you back here without your parents knowing ?’

Bloom turned back to Mitzy, her own anger rising at the simple sight of the girl.

“How is that any of your business anyway ?’

Before going to Alfea, she did not dare stand up to the other girl, or not totally. She may have talked back once or twice, but that was it. Mitzy always seemed so superior, that she never even thought it could be worse it. She preferred to keep a low profile, and let the insults slide. Then she would tell herself it was the best course of action, that between the two, she was the mature one.

Never mind those excuses, Bloom could now look at herself in the mirror and accept it had all been an excuse. She was just scared of the other girl, of what her popularity might do to her, of how far Mitzy would go if she was ever really angry.

Usually, she would’ve kept on walking straight, her head low as she stared at the ground.

Now, however, she was Bloom, Princess of Domino, the Fairy of the Dragon Flame. She defeated one of the Trix by herself during the Battle. She was currently one of the few who saw past the illusion at Alfea, and one of the only person standing against the Shadow Phoenix.

‘Well you know, I would hate for you to be in trouble,’ she winked.

A smile made its way on Bloom’s lips, as she narrowed her eyes.

‘You would love for me to be in trouble Mitzy. Why don’t you cut the crap and tell me something new.’

The dark haired girl blinked, a little surprised, and out of the corner of her eyes, Bloom noticed her fists were clenching slowly.

‘Who do you think you are now ?’

She took a threatening step towards the red head. The latter didn’t even flinch as she kept staring in her eyes, daring Mitzy to do anything more than that. Rightfully so, because it took a few seconds for the girl to realize Bloom would be moved by that kind of action.

‘You were nothing back then, and you’re nothing now,’ started Mitzy, slowly walking up to the red head. ‘You’ve always been strange, and no one ever liked you. Even your so-called friend Selina preferred to stay away from you !’

That stung. Bloom’s confident form wavered a bit.

‘Not that it isn’t your business… but it isn’t. Why don’t you go do as you planned, and leave me alone for once ?’

She was trying to stay polite, she really was, but it was hard.

The anger she suppressed for years was coming back at once. This time, she knew she had the upper-hand. She could stand up for herself, because she was strong. But controlling herself when she barely knew how to cope with everything happening to Alfea and her professors, was not an easy task.

It was not something she even wished to do.

‘Oh boo-hoo, you want me to leave you alone ? Maybe someone should call for your parents to get you out of here ?’

Rolling her eyes, Bloom felt her own fists clench.

‘You’re done ?’

‘I’m not even started,’ spit out Mitzy, closing the distance between the two of them in powerful strides.

Bloom didn’t move. She did not even register the blow until after she felt her right cheek burning.

‘You think you’re better than everyone, don’t you ? Well here’s a reality check for you, you can thank me later !’

The red head looked at the fist approaching her stomach at a dangerous speed, before shaking her head as the person before her fell to the ground, unconscious.

Bloom sighed, bringing a hand to her cheek to massage it. With the other one, she took her phone, ready to call for help when a man got out of a room near them. He didn’t look at her, but did run towards Mitzy, taking her by her shoulders and checking for a pulse.

‘What happened ?’ He asked, as if terrified.

‘I don’t know, I found her like this ?’

‘Like th-oh no, what did you do this time ?’

He wasn’t talking to her, and Bloom felt extremely awkward seeing this stranger caring for the most disgusting human being she’d ever met. Except for the Trix, of course.

‘This is our room, can you help me lift her ?’

The red head nodded, and followed him without a word, holding Mitzy by her feet.

As the man started leading them, she took the time to really look at him.

Full of muscles, a well-defined jaw, brown haired, blue eyed, he also had some freckles around his nose. He seemed nice, when she looked at him caring for her past nemesis. It was something she never knew could happen with Mitzy’s friends. They were always so full of themselves when she saw them.

To be honest, she did not even try to get to know them. She hated them because they hung out with Mitzy, that was all she needed to know about them.

Eventually, they reached the bed, and delicately put the dark haired girl on the mattress.

‘Thank you,’ he sighed.

She nodded, and got out of the room as soon as she could, forgetting all about the dark aura she felt earlier.

* * *

Three days were long when your entire world had been turned upside-down, and someone had stolen your identity. It was also enough to restore most of your power, and when Miss Faragonda decided she had enough of the girls’ antics, she simply waved her hand and forced all of her students, who had gone to bed a lot earlier than usual, to stand in front of her.

She released her magical hold on them quickly, however her gaze didn’t falter when Stella started accusing her of using her magic for bad reasons. She stayed calm, watching the younger Fairy spit everything she wanted to say out until she was out of breath.

That meant the Solarian Princess wouldn’t be able to interrupt her, as she often did.

‘We need to know what happened girls, and we need to come back to Alfea before the situation gets worse.’

The girls reluctantly nodded, except Stella who crossed her arms.

‘What do you want to know first ?’ Asked Tecna.

‘Everything.’

And so started the explanation of “everything”.

How Layla picked up the strong dark energy on Bloom, how the Headmistress clone didn’t want to hear anything, how the teachers suddenly turned on them, how they ran for their life with Miss Griselda, how they ended up on Domino and finally, how Musa was kidnapped by the Trix.

‘I agree this is a very dire situation girls. You handled it all very well, and I must say that I am proud of you’ said Miss Faragonda with a gentle smile on her face. However, the Winx were not fooled by it. They saw in her eyes that she still has her worries. ‘But I also have to ask you how, and why you found yourself with a criminal like… Valtor.’

The way she said his name made Bloom bit her lip. She really wanted to tell them the truth, but it was evident that once it was out, she would be in trouble. Of course, she knew that, but she expected some of the teaching staff to be by her side.

She feared what justice might do to her, if someone ever found out about what she did, but she tried not to care. She’d forced herself to ignore the danger. However, her teachers would not. They knew they had to report to the Magic Council. They wouldn’t stand by like her friends did, until he made a wrong move and they were forced to stop him.

Miss Faragonda had fought him. Because of this Wizard, she lost dear friends, and her childhood. He was a reminder of everything she thought she left behind.

There was a conflict inside her. One part of her forbid her to ever tell anyone about what happened in Omega and to find some lie. Another part of her wanted to tell the truth, convinced she would feel better even if she had to pay for what she did. The rest of her was just terrified of the consequences of both actions.

She felt a nudge in her side. Layla was looking at her with a raised eyebrow.

Bloom felt no particular pression from the Winx. They seemed ready to go with whatever she would say. It made her heart warm.

She took a deep breath in, and told her secret.

‘I… was the one to go to him first.’

Miss Griselda shook her head in disbelief, while the three other teachers looked at her with polite curiosity.

‘I… I didn’t get out of Omega by myself.’

The rest of her words got stuck in her throat, and the red head looked helplessly at her Headmistress, desperate to see something shining in her eyes that wouldn’t be hatred or disappointment. Instead, she got worse : there was nothing.

Miss Faragonda’s blue eyes were attentive, but there was nothing more to it.

Taking a deep breath, Bloom forced herself to keep going.

‘I was attacked by criminals, and they forced me to run into some tunnels. Then I was hunted by some flying snakes, but I had no idea what to do so I… I just freed him. I was hoping he could help me or be a good bait.’

Something changed in her professors’ eyes, as if they finally understood that she didn’t mean what she did.

‘But you still are in contact with him ?’ Slowly asked the Headmistress.

Bloom nodded.

‘When you refused to give me answers about my past I… I only knew one other person who could tell me what I wanted to know.’

‘And he accepted ?’

Again, she nodded.

‘I am sure you have a bargain with him now ?’

Bloom bit her lip.

‘I knew it,’ huffed Miss Griselda before standing up. ‘How could you be so naïve ? What did he ask you ? Information ? Loyalty ? Your power ?’

This time she was able to shake her head.

‘You can tell us now, Bloom,’ reassured Miss Faragonda, a clear warning in her eyes when she looked at her old friend. ‘Whatever it is, we can help you. You had to free him in order to survive, and even if your silence could be a charge against, know that the Council is more than ready to forgive you if you help us trap him again.’

The red head looked at her professor, unsure of what to say.

On one hand, she really wanted to be free of Valtor. After all, knowing him put her and her friends in danger. Getting rid of him would be a good thing, but it would also mean that she got rid of the last person of Domino, and the last person that had helped her in finding her parents.

He had a lead, even if he had found such information because he was looking for his own quest.

She would say what mattered most. No use in revealing that she accepted his help in finding her parents, in stopping his attacks or to offer him immunity if she ever brought her people back to life.

‘He asked me to get rid of the Three Ancestral Witches.’

It felt like dropping a bomb.

Miss Faragonda sat up straighter, while Miss Griselda suddenly stopped moving to stare at her while the three men frowned.

‘What do you mean ?’

Bloom took a deep breath in.

‘He’s convinced they’re not dead, and he doesn’t seem too happy about that. He asked for my help to get rid of them.’

‘That doesn’t seem logical,’ intervened Professor Avalon. ‘If I remember correctly, they’re something akin to his mothers ?’

‘I wouldn’t put it past him to wanting to get rid of those horrid Witches,’ shrugged Professor Wizgiz.

‘We should get back to the matter at hand, if Valtor isn’t going to strike for now,’ cut in Palladium.

‘What ?’ Exclaimed Miss Griselda. ‘We cannot oversee this, we need to take care of him while we still can !’

‘And what about our students,’ asked the blonde teacher, a daring eyebrow raised. ‘Surely you don’t think they’re doing alright as we speak, while the school has been taken over by the forces of evil ?’

‘He’s right,’ sighed Miss Faragonda. ‘As much as it pains me to admit it, we need to focus on getting our students, and if possible our school, back. We cannot stay on Earth eternally, someone is going to find us eventually.’

‘And what do you propose exactly ?’ Asked Professor Wizgiz, a bit too enthusiastic for the rest of the group.

‘Something very simple, but before that, girls, how many of you have your Charmix ?’

Hesitantly, all but Tecna rose their hands up in the air.

‘Well, this is good,’ sighed the Professor Wizgiz, obviously relieved.

The other teachers nodded.

‘Very good indeed,’ nodded Professor Avalon. ‘But I didn’t expect less from Alfea Fairies.’

‘That means we can take action right now,’ said Miss Faragonda. ‘We, and all of Alfea, need your help Winx.’

‘What about us ?’ Intervened Chatta. ‘You’re going to leave us here, alone ?’

The Headmistress smiled.

‘Of course not, we’ll need to find you somewhere to stay so the Shadow Phoenix doesn’t find you.’

This made the Zenith Fairy think.

‘But where ?’ Asked Lockette, playing with her hands. ‘He’ll find us on Magix. Earth is the only place he isn’t familiar with.’

‘That is why I want to ask Tecna if she thinks we can put you in her apartment, for the time being.’

The pink haired girl nodded immediately.

‘Of course.’

‘Pardon me but this will put her family in danger,’ cut in Musa. ‘Why not leave them in Bloom’s house ? Lord Darkar hasn’t shown up yet.’

‘But the Trix know where they live,’ answered the Headmistress with a slight shake of her head. ‘And Zenith is extremely advanced in repelling magic. This is the only place I can think about where Lord Darkar and his pawns will have trouble looking in.’

‘I agreed, anyway. My family won’t oppose to it, either. We won’t be gone for long, after all.’

‘You know what they almost did to my parents,’ cried out Bloom, standing up. ‘Maybe they’ll find out, and while we’ll be busy elsewhere, you won’t have time to help them.’

‘My family is very capable,’ countered Tecna. ‘They’ll be able to fight back the Trix, or at least escape them.’

‘Then it has been decided then,’ nodded Professor Palladium. ‘We’ll prepare for what Miss Faragonda has in mind. You take care of the Pixies.’

Stella stood up, following Tecna while all the Pixies flew closer.

There was nothing they needed to bring with them, so Stella simply made her sceptre appear, and teleported them all away.

It didn’t take long for the pink haired girl to explain the situation to her parents, who accepted almost immediately. Stella smiled, rising her sceptre when the lights went out.

‘You still have electricity problems ?’ She asked, illuminating the hole room.

‘No, that hasn’t happened in years,’ answered the mother.

‘The other buildings are fine,’ noticed Tecna, the closer one to the big windows.

Three figures appeared in front of the window, and she had just enough time to dodge before it froze and exploded.

‘Good evening Tecna,’ smiled Icy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know what ? I know where I all want this to go, but I feel like I’ll have to rewrite this entire ‘Book II’ as I called it. I feel like it’s all over the place, with easy solutions. I’m actually not that proud of it.  
> I’ll try to make it better in the next chapters.


	17. Enchantix

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is ! Next chapter !  
> Sorry, I’ve been caught up by homework (yes, homework, school, and not some video games about Star Wars because obviously I’m a very responsible person).

“Good evening, Tecna,” smiled Icy.

With a sigh, the two Winx girls transformed and came to stand in front of Tecna’s parents. Stella had her sceptre in front of her, while the pink haired girl built up some electricity, ready to fire.

They stared at the Witches, waiting for them to attack first. The apartment would not resist long if they ever had to really fight. The Trix would only give it their all if the Winx tried to attack them, but as long as they stayed defensive, it seemed the trio was not so interested in killing them as they were in completing their task at hand.

That is why, when Tecna’s mother moved to attack, her daughter immediately held her hand out. Thankfully, Magnethia understood and stood still. As for Electronio, he could only greet his teeth. It had been too long since he really fought, and unlike his wife, fighting wasn’t natural to him. He had no magic, only his own physical strength.

Tecna simply hoped he wouldn’t try to do anything rash.

“Now, now, this is no way of introducing us to your parents,’ said Darcy as she shook her head.

Stormy flew in front of them, her eyes solely on the two parents.

“We’ll show them how it’s done !”

Tecna created a shield just in time to fight back the witch’s attack, but Stella wasn’t so lucky. She was pushed back, and the mother caught her mid-flight, as her father was suddenly surrounded by the frightened Pixies.

“Take them out of the building !”

Taking Electronio by the arm before he could free himself from her grasp, Stella brandished her sceptre.

“I’ll be back with the others !”

All Tecna saw was a flash of light behind her, the light reflecting in the windows, before everything turned to darkness.

Fortunately, she just had to conjure a mask to see in the dark. She stood fearlessly against the three witches, believing herself capable to hold them off until help arrived.

A smile graced her lips when she noticed that only Darcy seemed to thrive in the darkness, while the other two seemed more bent on relying on their other senses. Stormy was surrounded by a shield electricity. It did create some light around her, but not enough for the Witch to see around her. She was also impossible to attack, as Tecna’s spells would probably vanish once they came in contact with the lightnings, or they would be redirected somewhere in the room. This was too hazardous for the Fairy.

Icy was still outside, her temper slowly getting the best of her as everything around her turned to ice. She didn’t seem to be ready to move inside the apartment. As it was, she wasn’t even looking in the right direction.

The third sister was simply staring at the Fairy, a little smile on her face. Tecna did not react until she understood that the danger was coming from under her. As quickly as she could, she flew up to the ceiling, almost bumping her head against it, while a vortex appeared underneath her.

It looked just like the one Bloom had described last year. Dread filled up the Fairy, as a little gasp escaped her mouth.

Maybe she wouldn’t be able to hold herself against the Witches.

She groaned as she felt the slightest of pull towards it, before flying away and deeper in the apartment. Darcy was obviously quite exhausted after casting such a spell, panting as she slowly flew down.

“I’m sorry sisters.”

Tecna did not bother to stay and find out what exactly the Witch was talking about. Instead, she made her way to the door as fast as she could, fumbling with the door knob, hoping Stormy had not destroyed the security system too with her attack.

When it gave out and she fell into the corridor, she did not waste any time and immediately flew towards the staircase, but that was without taking into account Stormy’s sudden overcharge to bring back the light, and Icy’s quickness to teleport herself.

“Why leave so soon ?” She pouted. “There is still so much to talk about !”

A wave of ice washed over her, bringing her back in the apartment as she tried to flee in the other direction. She did not make it very far, and soon found herself lying on her back, the air knocked out of her lungs in her sudden fall.

“Now, you may be thinking : ‘How did these beautiful Witches find out I was going to be here ?’”

The ice started creeping up her ankles and wrists, but the Technology Fairy was still too out of it to bring herself to move.

“Your clever mind must be going crazy from not knowing.”

Icy moved to stand over Tecna’s body, staring at her eyes with pure glee.

She slowly brought herself to her knees, straddling the Fairy without actually touching her. Only her hand touched her face, her long nails digging into her jaw.

“But I’m not here to be the bad guy who reveals their big plans,’ she said as she slowly let her fingers trail down Tecna’s neck. “I’m here because Lord Darkar wants those Pixies, and you’re in the way.”

Icy’s hand closed onto her throat. Her eyes moved to watch it, as if she’d forgotten the Fairy was there. Tecna felt more like an experiment to her, than an actual enemy. She still had a lot of power in her, but didn’t know how to get out of this situation. She couldn’t aim properly at the Witch, and her mask was still on.

Fortunately, she could set it on a lower intensity so it did not burn her eyes, but she still had troubles making out what was happening around her. Everything was simply too bright.

She knew that if she charged herself with electricity, the mask would implode, most likely making her blind. It would be the only way to get Icy off her, and she couldn’t do it.

She almost growled.

“Now, be a good girl, and when your friends come back, you shall ask them to-“

“I won’t do it.”

“Then you will lose your family,” said the Witch as she blinked in fake surprise. “And that is not something you want ? They have nothing to do with it, after all.”

Out of the corner of her eyes, Tecna saw the other two standing besides their sister. Darcy had her arms crossed, her face didn’t show any emotion. She almost seemed bored.

Stormy, on the other hand, was twitching, jumping on one foot and then the other.

“Exactly, so _you_ leave them out of this !”

“I’m afraid I can’t.”

A flash of light illuminated the entrance of the apartment. The Witch above Tecna barely had the time to turn around before she was sent flying into the window. It didn’t break, but Icy was knocked out good.

Darcy had taken two steps back and crouched, her eyes narrowing on the flower Fairy. Stormy hadn’t budged, and instead had come to stand in front of Tecna’s lying form, before sending her own kind of tempest.

Flora and Layla were able to get into the apartment, but the other Winx had to seek refuge in the corridor.

“Hm, for once the fight seems fair,” commented Darcy as she stood up to cast a spell towards Flora.

Tecna saw the fear in her friend’s eyes, before her whole demeanour changed, along with the colours of her clothes. Once again, she found herself in her Sorceress outfit.

Flora conjured some vines to grow around the Witch, and preventing her from doing any movement.

Layla was trying to avoid Stormy’s relentless attacks, but eventually got hit and thrown over the counter, next to the vortex. A little scream escaped her, before she quickly flew up and towards the broken window.

Stormy groaned in annoyance.

“Just fall in it, will you ? It’ll make my day easier.”

Layla narrowed her eyes and conjured a shield, watching Musa and Bloom enter the room. The former attacked Stormy behind her back, sending her flying next to the vortex too. With one quick movement, Layla conjured Morphix and stuck her there, pinning her by the wrists and legs.

“Let me go !” She screamed as she tried to move.

Bloom was standing next to Flora, not commenting on the flower Fairy’s appearance, and walked calmly over to the last Witch barely standing. With one hand, she heated up the ice restraining Tecna, while keeping her eyes on Darcy.

“Make the vortex disappear.”

The Witch snorted.

“I can’t.”

“What do you mean ?”

“She means she’s not fuckin’ powerful enough to do it, stupid Fairy !’ Screamed Stormy, making her sister roll her eyes.

“She’s right,” conceded Darcy. “T’took too much of my energy.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be more powerful with those pretty jewels of yours ?” Asked Flora with a raised eyebrow. “Or are they just for show ?”

The Witch smiled.

“And aren’t there six of you to put an end to it ? Or are just as weak as last year ?”

Bloom took a step back before giving into her darkest desires and punch the Witch.

“Security must be on their way, they’ll solve this,” said Tecna as she stood up.

“And they’ll take care of our friends here,” added Layla with a smirk.

Someone running in the corridor made them turn their heads.

“By the way, where is Stella ?” Asked Tecna just as her father came into view.

“Tecna ! Oh Tecna I-“

He fell into his daughters arms, and lifted her off the ground when hugging her.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t stop him-“ said Stella before falling on her knees, breathless.

“Dad, it’s dangerous, the-“

“I know it’s dangerous ! That’s why I’m here ! You won’t fight alone !”

Flora caught Darcy rolling her eyes again, obviously disgusted by the scene unfolding mere meters away from her. Then a gasp escaped her, as the Flower Fairy made the vines tighten around her on instinct. The Witch turned to her, somehow shocked and prepared to say something, before Tecna interrupted her.

“I’m not alone, I have my friends.”

He looked at her, cupping her face with his hands. His eyes were shining with proudness, while the little smile at the corners of his lips made Tecna feel better. She quickly pulled him into a hug.

They parted for just a moment, before Tecna spotted, from the corner of her eyes, Stormy rising from the ground, some frozen Morphix hanging from her wrists. The amount of electricity made the Fairy widen her eyes immediately as the lights started to go crazy around them.

The Witch’s hand was lifted towards her and her dad. Tecna knew she didn’t have the energy to create a shield to protect them. Without hesitation, she pushed her father back, before taking his place.

“Stormy no !” Screamed Darcy, sounding desperate for some reason.

The lightning immediately hit her. All of the air in her lungs was squeezed out, as all her muscles suddenly tensed, and her vision went black. Her heart started beating way too fast, the panic barely settling in before her brain was able to understand it had stopped beating all together. The last thing she knew about herself was that she thought she’d been set on fire, before falling forward.

She was out before her body collided with the ground.

“Tecna !” Screamed her father, pulling the girls’ out of their daze.

Musa cried out, her eyes settling on the exhausted Witch, barely standing up besides the counter. Flora walked up to the music Fairy. Without a word, they turned their back to each other, their Charmix appearing on their transformed forms in a flash.

They both raised an arm in the air, focusing on the energy coursing through their veins. They let their palms fall to face the suddenly very frightened Witch.

“Convergence.”

Stormy was thrown against the counter, unconscious. Some blood started falling from where her head had hit the kitchen furniture, and she fell forward.

“Stormy !” Screamed Darcy, falling to her knees and wincing when realizing there were now thorns on the vines.

The Witches then disappeared. Bloom turned to where Icy had been, suddenly feeling stupid. She knew the Witch had more under her belt than she could ever imagine, yet she thought she’d been out of the fight for good. She forgot all about her, too focused on the immediate danger that had been Stormy.

Flora let her transformation fall away, before walking up to Tecna.

“She’s not breathing !” Said Musa, sobs wrecking her body.

Her father stayed still, tears falling down his cheeks.

Tecna’s body was fuming, as if she walked through a fire. There were some marks on her bare arms, legs, and face. They were even lighter than her skin. As for her hair, it was as freazy as Stormy’s, maybe a little more, and a lighter shade of pink.

The suit hadn’t been damaged, but her wings were hanging loosely on her back, like two burnt wires.

“My darling, please say something !”

Musa fell back, burrowing her chest in her knees. Stella had let her sceptre hit the ground and, along with Layla, was starting to recite some old prayers. Flora was trying some incantations, for her part, but nothing to really work.

Bloom decided to move forward, knowing that she once saved Layla’s life. Maybe she could do it for Tecna too.

Sitting right besides her friend’s head, she tried to focus. Yet, she soon realized the magic inside of her would not enter Tecna’s body. It did not resonate. It was going everywhere but where the red head wanted it to go.

Still, she kept on focusing, tears strimming down her cheeks that she didn’t bother to erase. She could feel Flora’s magic coursing through the outside of Tecna’s body too, yet it did not have any more effect.

“What’s happening ?” Gasped Electronio as both Flora and Bloom opened their eyes, their concentration breaking.

Light was surrounding the Fairy’s body, and before they knew it, Tecna had opened her eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so obviously it was about Tecna getting her Enchantix. This is a character that does not get a lot of recognition in the series, and even I have a hard time finding something to make her stand out a bit. So for all of her lovers, I hope this chapter pleased you ^^  
> I hope you liked this chapter, and as always comment, it makes me super happy… and see ya’ all… when I have time XD


	18. Get Ready

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been... a while, sorry. I've been sick and really tired from school. But anyway. Here's the chapter, and I hope you enjoy it ! We're almost at the end of this Arc. A few more chapters and we'll get to the reeaaally interesting part. Even I was waiting for it lmao.
> 
> A big thank you to everyone still following, I feel like I don't say it enough ^^'

Tecna awoke with a groan, her eyes fluttering open immediately. Her gaze met the ceiling of her room back on Domino. A sigh of relief escaped from her lips, before she relaxed, knowing she wasn’t in any immediate danger.

The last thing she remembered was Stormy, the intense pain she’d been through, and someone screaming her name. Then it was complete darkness.

She slowly sat up, sore like never before. She winced as she felt every muscle in her body react, but was glad that, other than that, she couldn’t feel anything else.

“Tecna ! You’re awake !”

A little ball of happiness crashed into her stomach, and the girl smiled.

“Hello to you too Digit, how are you ?”

“How am I ? How- How are you ?! I’ve been so worried about ! They said you were going to make it but when I saw you I knew something was wrong and I was so afraid you’d never wake up but here you are !”

Tears were strimming down the face of the little Pixie, surprising the Fairy.

What exactly had happened to make her Pixie so distressed ?

“You can’t get rid of me that easily you know. Those Witches could never bring me down.”

The Pixie flew towards her bed, taking a little tissue and making all sorts of noises that made Tecna roll her eyes.

“I’m not dead, stop acting like it was the end of the world,’ she laughed.

Even though she tried to sound reassuring, she knew something was wrong.

Bringing her hands into her line of sight, Tecna felt her breath come to a stop : there were white lines everywhere, going up and down her arms, like lightning. Quickly, she pushed the covers aside. Her legs were just as shaved as she remembered them from the Motel, but now there were white streaks on them too.

Panic settled in her stomach, like a rock pulling her under.

Looking around the room that had been hers a few days ago, she stood easily and made her way towards the bathroom, looking for the big mirror she knew was there, for certain. Even though time had taken its toll on it, especially without any spell protecting it, it would at least show her what she looked like.

Except it wasn’t there.

“Digit, where’s the mirror ?”

The bathroom wasn’t big enough for her to miss it : it only contained a big and white bathtub on the right, a red curtain with golden patterns, a toilet in the back and a sink on the left. Nothing else, when the mirror should’ve been on top of the sink.

Her eyes traced the walls from right to left three times nonetheless, but nothing appeared. She even tried to step inside the room and turn into every direction possible, but found nothing.

She was now certain something was terribly wrong. But how bad, she had no idea.

Tecna quickly exited the bathroom, put on some of her clothes that had been put on a chair beside her bed, and made her way towards the door.

“You have to rest,” ordered the Pixie as she flew in front of the Fairy. “Orders from Faragonda.”

“And I’m telling you that I’m fine !” She assured a little bit too harshly. “I just need to talk to them.”

“You can talk to me.”

“I need to know what happened.”

“I can tell you.”

“Dammit Digit ! You know what I mean !”

“And I know what I was told ! You are to rest and not step out of this room !”

“I don’t need to rest ! I’m fine ! I’m feeling better than I’ve had in days just- please,” she sighed. “Let me talk to the girls. I need to see that everyone’s fine.”

Reluctantly, the Pixie flew out of her way and onto her shoulder, pouting a bit.

She didn’t dwell and entered the room in front of hers. There were no Winx to be found, no Griselda and certainly not her parents. Gritting her teeth, she decided to make her way towards the kitchen. If the others weren’t in their rooms, they could only be there, or outside.

And she didn’t feel like going out.

She opened the doors a bit too harshly, and sent every occupant of the room on edge. Layla and Musa had transformed immediately, while Flora seemed a bit too ready to attack, even in her civilian form. The Pixies flew behind the table, putting themselves out of harm’s way, as the teacher calmly instructed for everyone to calm down.

“Tecna !” Screamed her mother as she ran into her arms.

“Mom ! Dad !”

The three of them caught each other and almost suffocated one another in their hug. It didn’t matter, because they were so happy to see each other, unharmed. Or mostly.

“Tecna, you’re awake !” Said her mother as she took her daughter by her shoulders. “But how ?” She asked, her eyes going to the teachers.

“Tecna has earned new capacities. Her body and magic are both a lot stronger than before.”

The pink haired girl shook her head, her eyes darting between her parents, her friends and her Headmistress.

Musa walked up to her a little bit slower, almost hesitant. Both girls stared at each other, before tears came pouring down the music Fairy’s face, and Tecna felt a need to take her in her arms too. They stayed like that for a long time, mostly because of Musa’s grip on her best friend.

The Fairy of Technology almost had the impression the brunette expected her to disappear at any moment.

Eventually, Musa stepped back, giving Tecna a bright smile before conjuring a tissue paper. With her occupied and her parents too bothered to stare at her like she now had two heads, she turned to her teachers.

“What did you mean by that ?”

“You earned your Enchantix Tecna,” announced Miss Faragonda, almost beaming with pride.

“I did ?”

The Headmistress nodded. Tecna then looked at the professor around, who were all looking at her with the same proud smile. Her friends were mostly eyeing with a curiosity, and something akin to relief.

She laughed as the realization hit her.

“I earned my Enchantix !” She repeated, tasting the words.

She’d been so desperate to earn her Charmix, knowing she would be a weak point when they’d try to take back Alfea. She never hoped to earn her Enchantix so quickly. It was extremely rare to earn this power at such a young age, yet here she stood, immense power running through her veins.

Her mother started sharing her show with her, but her father seemed a bit more reserved.

“What’s the matter ?” She asked, calming down.

“It is nothing. We can talk about it another day.”

“We also can talk about it now,” she insisted. “So what’s wrong ? Is it about the marks on my body ? What are they ?”

Her parents shared a hesitant look.

Usually, they had no problem telling her what the matter was. Or, if they did, she just had to push a little forward to have an honest answer. As most children of Zenith, she was a prodigy. She understood things extremely quickly, and had quickly accommodated to talk with adults.

As her school always taught her, she was to stay calm, under any circumstance. Even as an adolescent, her emotions didn’t get the best of her. She knew how to control herself, and her parents knew that perfectly well.

Seeing them hesitate made her question the gravity of the situation.

She thought earning her Enchantix was something to be celebrated, but as soon as she asked about the problem, everyone looked uncomfortable. The professors hid it extremely well, hiding their discomfort behind their polite smiles, but her parents seemed unable to look at her in the eyes. The Winx, for their part, looked a bit troubled. Especially Musa.

Had it been any other student of Alfea, she would’ve thought they were jealous. But those were her friends, and she knew perfectly well it was not the case, which was not reassuring.

“What ? You can tell me,” she said as calmly as she could.

Her parents decided to look at the teachers. Tecna followed their example.

“I think you should sit down, then,” said the Professor Avalon with a sigh.

She found a place between her friends and her family as they all sat back down, facing her teachers head front.

The thought of the weirdness of the situation crossed her mind briefly. She never expected to share a meal with her teachers, let alone have her friends and parents be there too.

“You know that, in order to earn your Enchantix, you must make a big sacrifice.”

Tecna gave a slight nod, unsure of where they were going with that.

She knew that. She studied the subject like no one else. Even Musa had not gone so deep into transformations, too busy writing music or trying to find a way to earn her Charmix. Or talking about _Riven_.

“Do you know what you did ?”

She automatically shook her head, then froze.

She didn’t remember. Or she did. Everything was blurry.

“I… I… was fighting the Trix. And… Stormy she tried to attack us and… I…”

She remembered her father smiling. Then there was Stormy for a split of a second, before something bright appeared. There was darkness, and immense pain after that. No images, only sensations and sounds. She vaguely knew some people had talked around her.

“She was targeting you and your father,” nodded Miss Griselda. “Only problem is, instead of letting the both of you take the shock and suffer great pain, you took his place and received an amount of electricity no one should be able to survive to. Not even a Fairy of Technology.”

Tecna didn’t react. She stayed speechless for a lot of time, letting everything register in her mind.

“You died,” said her dad with a crack in his voice. “You died in my arms, and I couldn’t do anything. Your friends tried to help but nothing seemed to work… You entire body was burnt and you- and then you… you transformed.”

“I earned my Enchantix ?” Asked Tecna with a little voice.

Her father simply shook his head.

“You woke up for a second, and started breathing again !”

“Then you fainted once again,” told Musa gravely.

“But at least we knew you were alright !” Sighed her dad.

“But if I’m alright, why are you all acting like… I’m not ?”

Once again, everyone around her seemed to be hesitant to look at her in the eyes.

“Earning your Enchantix doesn’t just mean you gain some accessory, like the Charmix,” started Miss Faragonda. “I suppose we should show you.”

Her eyes went to Stella, who winced but quickly stood up.

“You should remain seated, it is always quite a shock. But your case is a bit more… extreme, than usual.”

A lump formed in her throat.

She turned her chair to face Stella and the wall. The blonde nodded once again, her eyes going from the Headmistress to the empty space in front of her. She moved her right hand, almost lazily, but the spell worked.

A mirror appeared.

Tecna froze, her eyes widening. She suddenly understood why they removed the mirror in the shared bedroom.

She recognized herself, yet she didn’t completely.

Her hair was now curly. Not as much as Stormy, but she had well-defined curls on her head, instead of her straight, normal hair. It had also gotten whiter ; a pale rose, with some completely colourless streaks. It looked more like a bob now, instead of the clean and even haircut she asked for every year.

Her eyes had turned to pink too. The same shade as her hair.

Her skin was normal, except for the white streaks going up and down her body, randomly crossing each other, going in every direction her body could offer. They were almost invisible, and her face was mostly untouched, but it still scared her.

Slowly, she stood up, walking closer to the mirror until she could touch it.

“As you see, your body was able to heal from the shock, but even your new powers could not cure the shock your body had gone through.”

She looked at her Headmistress through the reflection.

“Will I ever go back to normal ?”

The old professor shook her head.

“I’m afraid I cannot give you an answer, Tecna. It has been a long time since I’ve seen a Fairy go through enough trouble to earn her Enchantix. Let alone have her appearance changed so much.”

“You’re beautiful though, maybe even more than before,” interrupted Stella.

Bloom and Musa shot her an angry look, but the Princess of Solaria simply shrugged.

“I’m saying what everybody’s thinking,” she muttered.

“Yes, well as that may be, I think Tecna needs some rest for now,” intimated her father as he started making his way towards his daughter.

“No,” she answered, turning around to face her dad. “I’ve rested long enough, and there’s no time anymore. We cannot keep hiding, we need to get back Alfea. It’s only a matter of time before the Trix find we’re back on Domino, and attack us.”

“Tecna,” interrupted her mother, “you’ve been through a lot, especially just now. Are you sure it is not just the adrenaline talking ?”

The pink haired girl nodded, her curls bouncing around her head.

“I am positive, mom. We need to get back to our priority, and get the situation back under control. We’re fugitives right now, and need to prove our innocence. We need to save the other students, and stop all of this before it gets worse.”

Everyone went quiet, before Miss Faragonda stood up.

“You spoke well, young Fairy,” she nodded. “We need to act quickly. Miss Griffin has successfully reached me, and informed me that Alfea is now on a locked down. Our students are nowhere to be seen on the security footages, and I worry something terrible is going to happen. We need to put an end to it now.”

“How did Miss Griffin contact you ?” Asked Layla, her brows furrowed.

“A little trick from old times,” winked the Headmistress.

The Princess of Andros nodded, but didn’t seem satisfied.

“I say we start to attack now. I’ll explain the plan a bit later on, but it is time to act.”

“We’ll help,” said Magnethia. “This is non-negotiable.”

“We’ll help too,” said Chatta. “And we won’t take no for an answer.”

The Headmistress smiled.

“I expected no less.”

Bloom slowly stood up, and Miss Faragonda’s eyes fell onto her. The smile on her lips faltered a bit.

There was a strange glint shining in her eyes.

“We’ll need all the help available.”

Bloom gazed back confidently, lips pursed, and nodded.


	19. Reinforcement

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am already done with the next chapters, and I think I’ll be able to end this arc at once. Only a few chapters left, like 5. I’m now certain lmao  
> Enjoy ^^

Bloom appeared in Magix on her own. Teleportation wasn’t something she was familiar with in the slightest, after performing it once or twice in front of her teachers, nor did she like performing it. In her appreciation marks, Wizgiz always told her she spent way too much energy before her body even started to disintegrate (a word which, in itself, scared Bloom to her very core), so she would have problems holding the spell for a long period. Basically, it was like running. Except she could die if she needed to take a sudden break by falling into a billion of pieces into the cosmos.

Stella did it a lot better than her anyway. She never had a real opportunity to use that spell, and to be honest, she wasn’t looking for one. When others did it, it felt a lot better. When the red hair did it herself, she often felt like throwing up once her feet touch the new ground. This time was no exception. She had to let herself fall against the wall of some shop to regain her bearings.

“Bloom ?”

She winced. Just her luck.

Lifting up her head, she tried to smile at Riven.

“Hiya there,” she uttered, the words staying stuck in her throat.

He lifted an eyebrow, before looking at her entire body. At any other time, she would’ve made some comment and gotten angry. Right now, though, she understood how messed up she must’ve looked : her blue jeans were torn, her shirt had some strings sticking out, and her hair needed to be taken care of a bit better.

His eyes quickly looked over her face, before his eyebrow rose higher. Of course, he noticed the bags under her eyes, and maybe the way her cheeks were now hollow from eating leftovers all the time. There was also no trace of her usual makeup, as simple as it was.

He did not ask any question. Rather, he decided to step closer to her, taking her by her right arm and pulling her into a less frequented alley. She did not feel forced, thus she let herself be led away. She shot one quick glance at Valtor’s residence, wondering if he felt her presence.

She sure could.

“Listen, I don’t know what you girls are going through right now,” started Riven, taking hold of her attention. “I thought I made Musa angry again, and maybe you were all kind of angry at all of us. But this,” he said as he awkwardly gestured at her, “is not normal.”

Bloom bit her lip. Of course he’d want answers.

_We’ll need all the help available._

Those words resonated in her head, and she inwardly groaned.

Riven was not saying anything, but the way he looked at her told her everything she needed to know. She didn’t know him enough to be sure about what was going on inside his head. Most of the time, he looked bored, or ready to set everything on fire. She couldn’t understand what Musa saw in him, but she would respect her friend’s choices, especially if they made her happy.

Right now, she could see how worried he really was. He’d never admit it out loud. There was, however, something in his eyes so intense that she found herself unable to lie. It made her uneasy, seeing how ready he was to help Musa. Not because Bloom didn’t like him, but because she didn’t think he was capable of it. She went still in front of him, still willing her brain to come up with an excuse, but could find none.

“Alfea… has been attacked.”

A second passed, before he gripped both of her shoulders a bit too hard.

“What do you mean ?” He whispered, a mad glint making its way in his eyes. It reminded her of when Darcy controlled him.

“You’re hurting me,” she cried out.

He immediately let go, and turned around, his hands going in his hair. For her part, she just looked at where he held her and for sure, there were faint, white marks. They were already disappearing, but this had made her breathless. She’d felt like a prey for a moment.

He was unlike the rest of the Specialists. He was always cold, distant, and quick to anger. She really couldn’t see what Musa liked in him. All he ever did to Bloom was hurt her. He hurt Musa too. He gave a hard time to the other Specialists. But the music Fairy seemed hopelessly interested in him. She believed in something, but the red head suddenly wondered if it wasn’t just her imagination.

“Riven ?”

He turned around sharply.

“I’m sorry,” he sighed.

“It’s okay.”

She simply said that, and nodded. She didn’t have any time for long, reassuring monologues. She was supposed to already be talking to Valtor, make sure he was OK to fight with all of them, then bring him back to Domino to see the entire team. Faragonda didn’t trusted him one bit, but there was no one else they could turn to. Except-

“What did you mean by Alfea being under attack ? We haven’t have had any news about it ? You guys just went… rogue.”

He looked at her dead in the eyes, but left the distance between them. To make her at ease or to avoid hurting her again, she didn’t know.

“It’s complicated,” she nodded. “Could you get the rest of the Specialists ? We could really use all the help we can get.”

“You need to tell me what this is all about first.”

She sighed.

“In short, our professors have been replaced by some clones. No, don’t ask me why, I still have no idea. But the teachers you’ve seen for the past few weeks were fake. We discovered that and had to flee. We tried to get them to safety on Solaria, but then the guards found them. We had to attack them and leave. This was not pretty, and that’s why there may be a price on our heads right now…”

He chuckled.

“Yeah, you girls did a number on Solaria ! Never seen Radius so red ! T’was pretty funny to watch. But you girls are simply researched. There’s like, this story about some people kidnapping you.”

Bloom’s eyebrows shot up.

“Really, that’s what they came up with ?”

Riven just shrugged, a smile tugging at his lips.

“So, what’re you doing in Magix now ?”

“I’m getting someone to help us take back Alfea. Getting the Magic Council to listen to us would be too difficult, and too long. We need to take action now.”

“Ya know I’m a pretty ‘action’ guy, but even this seems a bit irrational. Just go to the Council when no one’s looking, and explain.”

“The thing is, the Council is certain they’re right.”

“And _you’re_ sure you’re right ?”

Bloom nodded.

“Well, where do we need to go to help you take over Alfea ? T’sounds fun.”

She laughed in relief.

“Yeah, go to the Roccaluce Lake, I’ll tell the girls to look for you.”

“Trust me, I’ll get the whole squad.”

She smiled as he turned around, his phone already in hand.

Suddenly, she saw why Musa might find him attractive.

He was a real piece of work, no one could deny that. He was also ready to do everything he could, if it meant helping. He wasn’t afraid, he didn’t hesitate. When he had something to do, may it be for himself or for anyone else, he didn’t think twice.

“Riven !”

He turned around, his eyes wide in surprise, as if her to take back everything she said.

“Thank you.”

He looked to the side and nodded, before turning around.

She waited until he was out of sight before making her way towards her original destination. She quickly got rid of the pass code and entered the building, walking up the stairs as fast as she could. She even pulled on the link she could feel, hoping it would warn the Wizard that something really important was happening.

She found him next to his door, a bored look on his face.

“Let me guess, you need my help ?”

She nodded, and stepped into the light of his apartment. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw him stare openly at her clothes, then at her arms, to finally rest on her face. He too had noticed the changes she endured these past few weeks. This seemed to make him a bit more curious.

She noted that the big coat was absent, as were the gloves. Only his usual combat boots remained, in fact. He traded his purple pants for a pair of black jeans. As for the t-shirt, it was stripes of black and white. He had a jean jacket overall. If she hadn’t been so tired, maybe she would’ve commented on his normal appearance, even if the long hair stood out much more now.

“What is it this time ?”

She sat on the couch, a sigh escaping her lips before she could stop.

“We’re going to take back Alfea.”

He came to stand in front of her, his arms crossed.

“Your professors are aware ? I’d hate to have to fight two ene-“

“Faragonda kinda asked for you.”

He snorted.

“Right,” he muttered, looking out the window.

“For now we’re staying on Domino,” she informed him. “We’ll go to Alfea when the sun sets.”

“You’re planning to take them by surprise ?”

She raised an eyebrow at how unexpected it seemed to be for him. He just kept on staring.

“Well yeah,” she sighed. “What did you expect us to do ? Get in and cause a commotion with all the students outside ?”

“I know it’s the smartest choice,” he replied with a smirk. “I just didn’t think you had it in you to take them by surprise.”

She hummed.

Of course he expected them to get in while the sun was high in the sky, as some kind of heroes. She would’ve somehow preferred that option, she wasn’t a big fan of fighting by night, but they really didn’t have a choice.

“I suppose you also have a plan once inside that pretty pink school of yours ?”

She closed her eyes. Usually, she was able to take his sarcasm, or mostly passive-aggressive criticism, pretty well. Today, however, she really didn’t feel up to the task. Coming here had tired her a lot more than she’d ever expected.

Her head fell back against the couch. It was tempting to stay like this, ignoring the man in front of her and all her problems. She honestly felt like taking a nap here, until all those problems had went away. But she couldn’t do that, because Lord Darkar seemed to want something from her. He wouldn’t let her just get away, even if she was dying to.

It had seemed fun to be a hero in books. Right now, however, she just wished people would leave her alone. She suffocated from always being on the move, having to be ready to fight whoever wanted to try her, or her friends.

With a sigh, she opened her eyes again to look at Valtor again : he hadn’t moved an inch, still standing tall and proud, his arms crossed over his chest. His smirk, however, had completely disappeared. Dare she say, he seemed a bit confused at her antics.

“We’ll go straight for the teachers’ quarters,” she eventually explained. “We don’t know much about those clones, but they must rest at some point, or try to look like it.”

He nodded.

“The Pixies will go in first. We hope the clones will try to act together. That way, we don’t have to worry about forgetting one of them.”

“You think they’ll fall for that ? It seems awfully unlikely one of your Pixies will show up unannounced at your school.”

It was her turn to smirk.

“That’s why we’ll have other Pixies taking care of it.”

He nodded slightly.

“We’ll also have Tecna’s parents taking care of the students that may arrive because of the noise. They’ll try to evacuate everyone, but we’re not certain the clones are going to let that happen.”

She didn’t believe they’d be able to evacuate the thousand students that Alfea had unharmed. The best course of action would be to put a sleeping spell on all of the Fairies, but then, they wouldn’t be able to run if they needed to. That’s why they begrudgingly settled for this course of action.

“Do you have a plan of attack ?”

She sighed.

“Yes. We’ll be divided in three groups. Two will surround the teachers’ quarters, so they cannot escape us. The last one will stay outside, just in case.”

“And then ?”

She shrugged, and Valtor almost immediately shook his head, still looking straight at her.

“You mean to say your plan is to go in, and see what happens ?”

“And what do you want us to ?” She answered, her voice raising despite her wish. “We don’t know anything about those clones. We don’t know how their magic is or works. Are they as powerful as the people they impersonate ? Or is it just for show ? Are there going to be more than expected ? Are they going to attack with dark magic ? Is there a trap planned for us ?” She fumed. “What do you want us to do, exactly ? We don’t have time anymore.”

A slight snort seemed to escape him, propping him to turn his whole body to look through the windows. He didn’t really look at the city he knew fairly well by now. The Wizard was stuck inside his own head, trying to come up with a better plan than the one he just heard. He just couldn’t fathom the idea of Mrs. Faragonda going with this plan. She’d been an essential member of the Resistance during the War, yet it seemed the old Fairy had never come up with any plan whatsoever.

Although maybe that was the case. He’d never been on their side, and had only ever met the Headmistress during the heat of the battles. It was possible she’d never been anything but a pawn. A very powerful one, who always managed to escape him and sometimes, defeat him. It had never been about power, the both of them had always known he was the strongest. But her intelligence and ingenuity had saved her so many times, he never bothered to even imagine she might not be of actual help when the Resistance planned their many attacks.

Now, however, he couldn’t help but be taken aback. Valtor didn’t expect the Winx, seventeen year old students, to come up with the greatest plan of all. Granted, they were able to get out of many dangerous situations because they worked with one another so well. Their teachers, however, should’ve been a little bit more clever. He always made fun of Fairies and Magicians for being gullible, but he didn’t actually believe any of it. They were always great enemies. They also had one won the war.

However, he wouldn’t accept such a pitiful plan. He’d always made sure the troops under his control would know what to do, when, and why. This was something ebbed into his brain.

Valtor turned back to watch the Fairy, who seemed ready to pass out at any moment. Her eyes were on him, though, watching his every moves. It was a side of her he never really saw, except when she started acting out because of the dark energy in her system. Except now, it felt natural.

He could see the Royal Blood coursing through her veins. She may not have been raised as a Princess, but there was no denying that Domino would’ve had the best Heir they could’ve wished for. Daphne had been good, always fighting alongside soldiers. Bloom, however, didn’t need an army. He couldn’t picture her relying on a thousand people. Instead, he saw her with all the power the Dragon Flame held, destroying everything in her path. Just the way he did.

“What is it ?” She asked in a tone that suggested she didn’t really care.

“A plan as simple as that won’t work.”

“How would you know ?” She sighed, repositioning herself on the couch.

He sat on the other end of the couch, as far from her as he could, she noted. Not that Bloom really cared, but little details like this held a lot of information. It made her question how close she felt to him. Sometimes she forgot who he was, because of their link. She was always a bit more relaxed than she’d like around him. She blamed the pull she felt whenever he was close, as if she finally found the part of herself she’d been missing this whole time.

It made her uncomfortable, if she had to be honest with herself.

“Because I’ve been through war.”

She nodded once, suddenly remembering that this man was not as young as he looked. She often forgot that part of him too. To Bloom, he was the criminal that tried to enslave Andros, but then suddenly vanished. He was also the person that helped her uncover her origins, when her own Headmistress tried to hide it from her. Nothing more.

The reality hit her, as he kept on watching her, letting his words sink in.

He was the person responsible for the fall of her planet, and her people. It made her anger rise a bit, as this thought crossed her mind. Once again, she wondered why she kept coming back to him. Yes they had a deal, but why he still indulged her, she didn’t know. She wasn’t stupid enough to believe he had a soft spot for her, but no other reason came to mind.

“The Pixie part is extremely stupid.”

Bloom opened her mouth to say something, but he lifted a hand in the air.

“You’re offering them on a golden plate. If I were Lord Darkar, this would be something I expect. Instead, _you_ should show up. Alone.”

She suddenly realized what he said was true. Not only the Dark Phoenix desired to have Pixies to discover their village location, but he also seemed to want something out of her.

“He wants you, after all.”

She nodded, thoughtful.

“Right, but then what is wrong with our three teams ?”

He shook his head, as if she said the stupidest thing ever.

“There are, what, five clones to fight ? How many are there of you ? Do you really think you need to dispatch, and take the risk of one team falling prey to all of them at once ? Then what happens if they succeed in getting rid of, let’s say, the one group coming from the left. Then those five clones can run to the group coming from the right. They can capture the Pixies inside the school without breaking a sweat, then take the remaining group. None of you will see it coming, because your plan solely relies on those clones fleeing once they see you, which you are not certain will happen.”

Bloom felt the air leave her lungs, as he pointed out something she’d not even considered. When planning this attack, they imagined the clones would immediately flee at the sight of them, like the fake Professor Avalon had. Except this time, they didn’t have a role to play. They would be able to fight back.

“Then what do you suggest ? I just show up on the campus ?”

“Exactly,” nodded the Wizard. “Maybe accompanied by your little friends. Then you play the heroes.”

“But we aren’t strong enough !” She almost cried out.

He snorted openly this time.

“Don’t you think I know that ? But then, a part of your allies can come as reinforcement if the situation ever gets dire.”

“Then if there were other clones hiding, they’ll come out ?”

“Exactly.”

“But what if they try to do the exact same thing ?”

Valtor sighed.

“They might. They probably will. But remember who has had the time to plan this attack.”

She frowned.

“Even if we have the element of surprise, we won’t know how many clones will remain inside, hidden. If they even will.”

This time, as their eyes met, she felt like a little child. Valtor wasn’t showing any emotion other than mild boredom at explaining everything in detail, but it stuck out to her. She could almost picture him hesitating to tell her everything again, but slower, as if she’d understand better this way.

“Yes, but how will they decide who stays inside, if you show up unannounced ?”

She started fidgeting.

“They’ll have to be quick, but they can definitely do it.”

“Yes, but as you said, they’ll have to be quick. Which means they’ll only leave a few of themselves behind. Maybe one or two, as backup if necessary.”

“While we can have a lot more coming and surprising them…”

“Yes,” he almost sighed in relief. “Eventually, they’ll run out of people, while you have the possibility to keep your allies coming.”

She nodded, a bit more awaken by now.

“I think I need to bring you back to our camp, to explain this to everyone.”

He nodded.

“After you.”

He was the one to teleport them. Bloom felt herself ready to faint by merely traveling with him. Although, she also discovered after they started walking inside the castle’s corridors, she felt a bit more energized next to him. Probably because he was the other part of the Dragon Flame. She felt his magic running around her, sometimes entering her veins.

She would sleep this afternoon, before they attacked. It was obvious, though, that she wouldn’t need so much time than anticipated.

If Valtor noticed any of this, he didn’t mention it. The Wizard was, after all, a bit more focused on the meeting he would have with Faragonda.


	20. A Deal's a deal

Tecna’s parents didn’t really approve of his presence, that much he sensed, but they tried their best to hide it. They even greeted him when he entered the circular room where the Winx and their teachers were. After that, they merely kept an eye out for him. The six students were behaving the same way, albeit they were less tensed. Even the Princess of Andros didn’t seem ready to rip out his throat if the occasion ever presented itself. Which was new. He would even go as far as to say this was refreshing.

Although the same couldn’t be said about their professors, all standing at the other side of the room, looking at him as if he was the enemy they’d been looking for all this time. He’d never had the pleasure to meet any of them, except for the Headmistress of Alfea. That one he wished to see suffer, for the hell she put him through for years in imprisonment on Omega. Death would’ve been preferable to this punishment. Not only for his sake, but theirs as well. It didn’t make him less hungry for power. If anything, the only idea that kept him sane the thoughts he entertained about revenge on the people who did that to him. He had asked for death, after all. Of course, they didn’t listen.

His eyes met the ones of the Headmistress. She was seizing him up, probably trying to see if she could still measure up to him. He tried not to smirk at the sight of her, how old she’d grown, while he was still the same. He could still run, while she solely relied on her magic now.

“Valtor,” she greeted slowly. He simply raised an eyebrow at how hesitant she seemed to be, when she herself had agreed to his presence in this mission. “What is your price for helping us ?”

He scoffed internally. The old hag was straight forward, for once. Probably because there wasn’t any time to dwell anymore. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see Bloom resting on one of the couch that ornated the walls. Her eyes were closed shut, even though he could tell she was listening. How he knew that, he had no idea. He blamed it on the magic that linked them.

As a creature, he never experienced what Fairies, Witches, Magicians or normal Wizards did when they met someone from their planet. His Mothers hadn’t bothered to tell him a lot about it, mostly because he didn’t care, and because it wouldn’t help him fulfil the mission they gave him. He merely knew that the people of Domino could feel one another, especially those sensitive to magic. Which, for Domino, meant almost the whole damn planet. It was extremely rare for those people to come to life without any magic coursing through their veins. A lot of people thought it was because the Great Dragon chose this planet for his final rest. Some went as far as to try and conceive on this planet, to have a child with magical abilities. The worst of this was it usually worked.

Someone clearing their throat brought him back to the moment. The old Fairy standing close to the Headmistress, it seemed. He mentally berated himself for staring so openly at the young Fairy sleeping on the couch. Though, in the end, it wouldn’t matter.

“I’m sure cleaning me of my sins will be enough.”

He took pleasure in watching Faragonda grit her teeth, and trying to hide it. Maybe it wouldn’t matter, but he needed to put all the chances on his side. Although, he fairly knew…

“You know I cannot promise you that,” admitted Faragonda, which prompted him to nod, as if lost in his thoughts when really, he came to that conclusion long ago. He just liked to see her tighten her fists, trying not to implode. “I can try to talk in your favour, but that is it.”

He hummed. For a criminal like himself, it wouldn’t be enough. It would likely put the Headmistress through troubles, and as for himself, he’d be officially recognized as the criminal that put Andros through so much trouble. After all, people were still unsure of whom did all this. There were some interesting theories on the net, painting him as the one responsible for all this. It was all denied on TV by so-called ‘professionals’, hinting that someone like himself wouldn’t disappear that way. He was, apparently, too prideful to pull off something like that.

Once upon a time, this would’ve been true. Valtor had learned, however. He went through almost twenty years in prison, stuck in a block of ice, unable to move. Even though he got lucky and kept his sanity, it changed him. He feared that kind of judgement. There was no way he’d let himself get taken back to this horrid planet. Last time he didn’t put up a fight, as his side was losing. He found himself stranded away from his Mothers, whom would’ve likely killed him as he would’ve been no use to them anymore. What he didn’t plan was staying awake the whole time. Nobody talked about that, or maybe he was an exception. Either way, he came to the same conclusion : he had to avoid getting caught. Omega was not an option.

The funny part in all of this, was the fact nobody went looking for him. It would be oh so easy to check if he was still stuck in his own little block of ice, instead of letting people argue about that matter. The Council didn’t seem very fond of that idea, obviously. Or maybe they already had that answer, and simply didn’t want people to start panicking. Not when Lord Darkar was on the rise, with the Trix at his side.

“Then, pray tell, what can you offer me ?”

As much as he liked to make fun of the Headmistress of Alfea, he still had to talk about that bad plan of theirs. Maybe she’d argue, taking a lot more time than anticipated. Night would come, and they’d still be deciding which one of them was right. He only hoped she wasn’t as proud as he was, supposedly.

Faragonda was staying silent, though. He was used to staying up, waiting for his Mothers to tell him what to do, when they felt like it. Hours upon hours of patience, while they spoke in hushed tones, inside their own heads, or both, making their discussions hard to follow. He never abandoned though, for he knew that the one moment where he let his thoughts distract him, he would be punished harshly.

“The truth is that as long as we don’t know what you wish from us, we cannot offer you anything,” explained the little man, the tip of his green hat falling a bit backward as he met the Wizard’s gaze.

Valtor nodded, noting in a corner of his head that he liked that little professor. He seemed the most relaxed out of all of them. He must’ve understood that he wouldn’t attack them today. The same couldn’t be said about the others. The blonde man in the room, probably from Linphea if his pointy ears were any indication, had his arms crossed over his chest, and his eyes had never left him. His lips were set in a thin line. Valtor felt almost bad at the tension he could see in his shoulders.

Then there was the dark haired man, the Professor Avalon, if he wasn’t mistaken. This one wasn’t on edge like his colleague, but there was no denying that if the Wizard ever decided to play dirty, he would be quick to react. Valtor could feel the power rolling off of him. After the Headmistress, this man must’ve been the strongest element out of all the five professors.

As for the other woman, she didn’t seem very skillful. He doubted she would be a decisive element in this situation, but had long learned not to underestimate his opponents. Or, in this case, allies. The confidence he saw in her posture made him question her supposedly inability to fight.

“Very well,” he said, deciding to play a bit more. “I would like a new identity, a cover.”

He saw Faragonda go red. He almost laughed at the sight, but decided to remain as serious as he could to see where this all led them. Obviously, none of them seemed thrilled, but the little man turned to look at the Headmistress with a questioning gaze. The first one to take his eyes off of him, he noted. He’d have to learn the man’s name.

He hushed something to Faragonda, which pushed her to take her eyes off the wizard as well. He couldn’t hold back the smirk as, one by one, the professors started to look at each other, forgetting about him being in the room, and rather deciding if whether his request could be accepted.

The Winx had not reacted to his proposition. The girls were on their phone, texting, it seemed. He wasn’t used to today’s technology yet, but he’d seen enough teenagers in the streets to know about their behaviour. Especially when their thumbs repeatedly hit the screen in a frantic fashion.

The parents had walked up to the professors. It seemed they were trying to get to the next part as fast as they could, which he understood. Only they seemed to understand that their plan had to be ready, and fast.

His eyes drifted back to Bloom, meeting her blue eyes without any shame. The smirk was still on his face, but it didn’t stir a particular reaction. She simply stood up, to walk up to him calmly, casting a quick glance towards the staff of her school to see whether they’d seen her move or not. Useless, as they were still debating over his proposition.

“So that is what you had in mind.”

He almost scoffed at how direct she was today. Her polite demeanour she usually had, with her little smile at the corner of her lips, eyes a bit too wide to be natural and her hands resting open at her side, was off. Instead, her hip was resting on the side of the table in front of him, her right hand resting on top it while the other arm was hanging loosely on her side. She rested her head on top of her right shoulder.

It seemed a lot more natural. He preferred it over the mask she usually wore. At least, he could tell exactly what was going on in that little head of hers. Right now, he knew he was getting on her nerves.

“Did you expect me to stay hidden forever ?”

He’d been thinking about forging himself a new identity by himself, but even he had to admit there were some things he couldn’t do. Ensuring his new identity would be recognized by every nation would be too hard. He was used to crushing realms, not playing with their administrations.

“Kinda.”

Valtor sighed.

“What’s the real problem, Bloom ? My request isn’t that unexepected.”

She huffed, and turned her back to her professors, who were still deciding what they’d do. This time, both of her hands had gripped the edge of the table, he noticed. Her knuckles were almost going white.

“You really have no idea ?”

His eyes drifted back to her face, but she didn’t meet his gaze. Instead, she kept staring at the only door of the room.

“Maybe I don’t want my teachers to risk their positions. What will happen when someone discovers they’ve done something like that, for one of the worst criminals ? What will happen to Alfea ? To Mrs. Faragonda ? Will everyone be expelled, sent to Omega, or worst ?”

This time she looked at him. Her eyes were shining. He refused to acknowledge that fact, rather focusing on the ‘when’ that came naturally to her. Valtor didn’t really care about what happened to all that staff. He only thought about his safety. Staying on Magix was alright, but he always worried about being found out. He had, after all, forced the company to sell him the apartment for nothing. The problem was that his spell would disappear if he ever found himself too weak. They never saw his real face, but they’d know someone powerful played with their minds. How long would it take for the police to connect the dots ?

It was true, at first, he simply planned to play with the staff, making them believe he wanted something out of them. Then he would’ve simply brushed it off. At the end of the day, none of them should’ve remembered who he was.

But the moment this idea popped up in his head, he knew he wished it would become true. This was his opportunity at becoming someone, finally. He’d be able to go outside, without worrying about who would see him. He’d always have an explanation. He’d would be in plain sight, and no one would be able to make a move against him.

This simple idea made him ecstatic. He never had that opportunity. From the moment he’d been created, war had been his routine. His mind had come up with an opportunity to experience what everyone else knew.

“How can you be certain someone will find out ?”

The look he’d given her at this moment must’ve made her re-think the situation, because she stayed silent for a second.

“You have something else planned ?”

His smirk disappeared. The fact that this little Fairy could guess what his next move was, wasn’t a good thing for

“You plan on erasing their memory ?” She supposed.

He laid his eyes onto the professors, still arguing.

“Yes.”

She grunted this time, and crossed her arms. Her eyes were still set on the wooden doors.

“If they accept, please, play your part.”

He didn’t have time to answer, as the Headmistress cleared her throat. He was almost certain it was her this time.

Bloom turned around, but didn’t bother to move away from him. She seemed oddly at ease around him, even though she tried her best to hide it.

“Yes ?” He answered, his eyes going back to the Headmistress.

“We agree to your proposition. We promise that, as soon as we have the school back, you’ll have an identity, a job, and a roof above your head.”

Satisfaction filled him at once. He saw Faragonda ready to speak up again, but decided his patience was running thin.

“We’ll have to talk about-“

“Later, I have to talk about that plan of yours.”

The staff didn’t seem as joyful as he was. It only made him feel better, if he was honest with himself.


	21. Taking Alfea Back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 21 everyone. I really didn’t think this part would take so long but… oh well.  
> If you ever wonder what you could read next, I really suggest you take a look at the latest Stephen King book, The Institute. I read it in a day because it was that good. I’ll let you all look it up, but it made me realize once again why I love reading. And it’s a nice change from fanfictions.  
> Also, it’s CONFINEMENT TIME in France. Everyone, please respect the instructions asked of you to help limit the propagation of the disease. In the meantime, I’ll try uploading a bit more frequently during the week. There are two chapters left before finishing Book II. I’ll post the rest on Wednesday and Saturday.

The Winx appeared first, thanks to Stella this time, at the Lake Roccaluce while the sun began setting. Just like they planned it on their phones while the professors were buys deciding whether Valtor could help them or not, they found the boys waiting for them in the woods. Sky and Brandon were working around a fire, trying to get a bit of warmth before the battle that had to come. Riven had his back against a tree, eyes closed while Helia and Timmy talked about _something_.

“Hey there,” greeted Brandon. Even though it was aimed at all of them, his eyes only went to Stella. She immediately ran and jumped in his arms.

Bloom went straight to the fire to sit by Sky’s side. They both shared a little smile, before watching their companions greet each other.

Stella and Brendon were still hugging, whispering sweet words to one another. Layla came to sit by the fire, winking at Sky to say hi, which he gladly returned. Musa awkwardly made her way to Riven, who opened his eyes and got off the tree to talk with her, his arms still crossed over his chest. Helia and Flora stood next to each other, silent, until the Specialist brought out one of his drawings, and the Fairy started analyzing every little detail.

Tecna had been hidden by the whole group when they appeared, and the Specialists hadn’t really payed attention. Timmy, however, stayed frozen in front of the pink haired girl, unsure of how to react to her new appearance.

He eventually muttered an apology, then a greeting. It didn’t really help his cause. The Fairy simply nodded her head before going to sit around the fire. They now had to wait for Stella to get the teachers, and for the Pixies to appear.

“What happened ?” Asked Sky when everyone had stepped closer. “I like the new look, but it’s a bit drastic ?”

If Tecna took offence, she didn’t show it.

“We were taken by surprise by the Trix. Stormy attack me and my father to kill us, but I ended up being the only one to take the damage.”

The boys stayed silent, a bit unsure as of how to react.

“But you survived ?” Asked Riven, making Musa sigh at his lack of tact. Next he looked at her, then back at her friend, somehow looking like he’d apologize.

“Yes,” answered Tecna.

“She gained her Enchantix !” Finally said Stella, before she walked to her friend to give her a hug. “She’s an accomplished Fairy !”

The boys seemed a bit lost, but clapped anyway. Tecna gave them a bright smile, before something in the woods called their attention. They all stood up, ready for a fight, but the voice of Chatta erased all their worries.

“It’s just us !” She cried out as a legion of Pixies followed her. “We got everyone ready !”

She wasn’t kidding. The little Pixies, usually dressed in colourful attires, were now wearing almost nothing but black. Only their wings stood out. The look on their face was also a lot more serious than anything the Winx had seen before.

“Well, I guess I just have to bring our professors here, and we’ll have to begin.”

Everyone nodded at Stella. She made her sceptre appear again, and disappeared instantaneously.

* * *

Bloom walked in confidently. This was her school after all, although the ambiance was different from what she could remember. Everything was dark, despite the lessons having finished one or two hours ago. There were no lights on in the school, and no one trying to break out. It was so silent Bloom almost believed it had been abandoned.

“Miss Bloom ?” Someone whispered.

The red head turned to look at Knut, his broom in hand. He was hidden by the shadows, but she’d recognize that figure anywhere. She didn’t really look at him, though. If he stayed where he was, and someone was already looking at her, they’d guess there was someone she was talking to. If they were a bit intelligent, they’d guess who it is. And she refused to bring Knut into more trouble.

She lightly hummed, turning to where he was, but never looking in his direction.

“You should go,” he said. “If _they_ see you…”

She really wanted to ask who ‘they’ were, but kept her mouth shut. Knut must’ve figured out she wouldn’t move too because she heard a door opening.

“Be careful.”

She almost smiled. Knut might’ve been working for the Trix, but he really was a sweetheart. A bit of a coward, sometimes, but she understood. She let him go without saying anything, waiting for something to happen. By now, the Pixies must’ve been hidden around the school, ready to get into the battle if the situation got too dire.

Maybe some of the Winx were there too, but she couldn’t see them yet. Except for her, shining in her Fairy attire, the others were dressed in black to blend in with the walls. The professors would enter later, if the girls and Specialists couldn’t hold their own against the clones. Faragonda had been positive they could.

Magnethia, Sky, Helia and Flora were, without a doubt, already positioned behind the school doors, ready to help evacuate some of the students that may decide to leave the premises. As for Electronio, Tecna, Digit and Timmy, they would also be inside the school, trying to break into the room where the generator the barrier that went up during curfew was, to turn it off.

“Hello ?” She yelled at the windows, a bit surprised no one had greeted her yet.

She felt the hand on her wrist before she saw it as it yanked her away from her spot. She turned around immediately, ready to fight, when she realized it was one of her friends. She let herself be led back to the shadows, although her glowing clothes would get her spotted soon enough anyway.

“What are you doing here ?” Whispered Mirta, looking as if she wished to scream at her. Bloom was reassured to see her friend looked healthy.

“I came to save yo-“

“No !” Interrupted Mirta, shaking her head as if Bloom just said the most stupidest thing. “You don’t know what’s going on here ! No idea !”

“Then tell me !”

The ex-witch looked at her with pleading eyes.

“Just go !”

“I won’t. This needs to end.”

Mirta stepped back, crossing her arms as she started pacing.

“The teachers are crazy now ! Just go away ! The year will end soon and-“

“No Mirta ! You don’t understand ! The school won-“

“No _you_ don’t understand ! Everything’s wrong here ! We can’t practice anything ! Miss Faragonda forbade anyone to transform on the school ground ! Charmix and Enchantix are not to be earned because they say it’s too dangerous ! Just stay out of here while you can we’ll-”

“We came for this exact reason,” cut Bloom. Before Mirta could even answer, she shook her head and put a hand in the air. “Nothing of what you have to say will deter me. We have a job to do, and I promise we’ll succeed.”

She regretted that promise as soon as it left her lips, but it did calm the young Fairy down.

The reality of the situation slowly hit her. She expected Lord Darkar to have done something to the Fairies. She had been ready for the worst. Obviously Darkar was a little bit more intelligent than the Trix were. He didn’t hurt anyone, rather, he tried to make their education as useless as possible. The Fairies of this school, if they ever got their diploma, would’ve been the most useless Fairies of the Magical Universe.

“Do you know how many professors are here ?”

Mirta took a few seconds to think it over.

“Most of them have left last month, a few days after you girls disappeared. Palladium teaches most classes now. Wizgiz has a lot to do too… and there’s also Avalon, he’s still here. We see Griselda in the morning and the evening, but it’s been a long time since I’ve seen Faragonda. She rarely shows up.”

“Thank you Mirta,” nodded Bloom.

Just as they had hoped, there were only five clones to take care of. Bloom felt relief wash over her before a hand touched her arm. She realized that Mirta had been talking for a few minutes now, but she hadn’t even noticed.

“We can’t go out. And only a few students still can talk with their parents. They forbade phones, so you have to know how to reach your parents with magic without being detected by Griselda. And your parents have to be able to answer,” informed the Fairy.

“Mirta !” Stopped Bloom, stressed as time went by. “Why do you want me to go so badly ?”

They’d all been through a lot. Mirta would know Bloom had a plan, and could succeed. This didn’t align. Just because the teachers were doing everything wrong, didn’t mean her friend wouldn’t believe in her anymore.

“Because the Trix are here.”

Just in time, something exploded behind Bloom. She turned around to see glass flying in the air. Stormy was on the ground, around the shattered windows. Above her stood Tecna, ready to smash a giant bolt of electricity on her head. The Witch barely had time to avoid the spell as she pulled herself on her knees. The electricity flew past her, but the force of the attack threw her aside.

“Mirta, try to get students out,” instructed Bloom. “There are people waiting for you behind the doors.”

She didn’t turn around to make sure the red head would listen to her. Bloom immediately used her magic to light up the place. For now, only Stormy had came out. The Fairy of the Dragon Flame made her way to Tecna, watching everything around her.

“You alright ?”

“Yes. My dad and Digit are good too, they’re trying to get every lights on.”

“They got the barrier down ?”

“Yep, piece of cake.”

“Where’s Timmy ?”

“Where I left him.”

It seemed oddly cold from her, but Bloom didn’t mention it.

“You’re sure he’ll be enough to protect-“

“My dad can protect himself.”

Bloom said nothing, but felt something had went wrong when Stormy attacked. For now, however, her main concern was Tecna letting her anger getting the best of her, and leaving three people somewhere in the school, where they could get attacked at any moment.

A shadow moving on the ground got her attention.

“Bloom,” called Layla. “I’m going to see if they need help.”

With that, the Fairy disappeared. Bloom was ready to turn around, when she caught glimpse of another shadow moving close to the walls of the school, walking towards the students that had started trying to get past the doors of Alfea. She flew closer to it, landing in front of it. She frowned when she didn’t recognize the dark attire her friends were supposed to wear.

She understood a second too late that this wasn’t one of her allies : something hit her, as darkness surrounded the place again.

Darcy. Of course.

With a groan, she felt herself hit the floor. Something obstructed her vision, like a dark veil she couldn’t get off her eyes. She moved erratically, trying to act desperate, when in reality she let her healing spell work. A familiar laughter reached her ears. She never saw the next attack, but felt the ice push her up on her feet, before trapping her there.

It reminded her of her first year. That time she met the Trix, she’d been unable to fight back because she didn’t even know how to transform. This time, she couldn’t fight back because she couldn’t see where to aim. She heard the heels clicking on the floor. For that, she didn’t need to see to know which sister was walking closer to her.

“We meet again,” seethed Icy.

Bloom merely frowned.

“What’s the matter ? Cat got you- urgh !”

Someone had attacked her. Judging by the warmth, it was either Stella or Valtor. But because he was supposed to stay hidden until the last minute, she would bet it had been her friend. At the same time, her healing spell was complete. She recovered her sight in time to see Darcy being thrown her way. Quickly, she freed herself of the ice and threw herself to the ground, letting the Witch hit the block of ice.

“Sorry,” screamed Musa, a hand behind her neck.

Bloom nodded before turning around to knock the Witch out with a good old punch to the head. It felt extremely satisfying.

Icy attacked her once more, behind her back, although this time she saw it coming, and let a wall of fire get rid of her ice attack, not even bothering to face her. She’d simply lifted a hand.

“You-“

Whatever Icy had planned for an insult, she was interrupted by the ground breaking under her. Musa had effectively landed next to her using her sound to create a seismic shock. Next thing Bloom saw, Tecna had appeared next to the Witch, and blocked her in a cage of electricity. The girls shared a small smile, before looking around themselves.

The red head had been unaware of it, but students were starting to get out. The Pixies had lit up some lights to guide them towards the exit and into the woods, while Stella was posted at the doors, repeating the same thing over and over again, her sceptre in hand in case something happened. The Specialist were standing around the queue of students, their weapons at the ready too.

“I like having you on my side,” commented Musa with a smile.

“I like my new powers,” confirmed Tecna.

“How long can you keep her in there ?”

“It should soon be too hot for her…”

Bloom turned back around to look at the electric cage, just as ice started taking over. She prepared herself to warn Tecna, but the Fairy brushed her off with a jerk of her hand.

“She can try as much as she wants, she can’t freeze electricity if it keeps appearing and disappearing. This cell is all about connections.”

Bloom didn’t understand a single word, while Musa nodded knowingly. What she saw, however, was the ice appearing and disappearing again and again, as if Icy couldn’t decide where to begin freezing the prison.

“Where is the rest, though,” wondered Bloom.

“Maybe the clones are hiding ?” Said Musa, turning to the windows.

“Or they’re waiting for the next perfect opportunity.”

“Tecna,” interrupted Bloom. “Why isn’t your team out yet ?”

By that, she meant her dad, Pixie and Timmy. By extension, Layla too.

Both girls looked at each other, before they started flying inside the corridors, Tecna leading Bloom and Musa. It was unnerving to go through those corridors as if they were the ones to break in. Fortunately, they didn’t cross path with anyone.

A few minutes later, they met the gaze of Timmy, petrified on his spot. Not by ice, but by fear. Tecna landed in front of him, as his hands holding his blaster started shaking. He let them fall down, while the Fairies entered the room, alerted by his behaviour.

Inside, they found Layla and Electronio unconscious. There was no sign of Digit.

The pink haired girl got out as soon as she understood what happened. Musa followed her, while Bloom focused on getting Layla back to consciousness. The Princess wasn’t knocked out too hard, and quickly came back to the world of the living. As for the father, it took a bit more time, but he woke up too.

Bloom could hear the screams outside, but decided to pay them no mind for the moment.

“What happened ?”

Layla held her head with both hands.

“Fake Avalon took us by surprise.”

“Timmy didn’t see it coming ?”

“He stayed petrified on his spot,” spat the father. “This coward let that clone take us by surprise.”

Bloom pursed her lips, before pulling the both of them to their feet. She led them outside. Timmy was still holding his blaster with both, but his eyes were staring at the ground. She felt a pang of pity go through her at the sight. Her eyes drifted to Tecna, who simply stood watch with Musa.

 _This only meant more drama_ , she sighed.

“Let’s get out,” she intimated.

Everyone followed Tecna back outside. She got outside first, only to be pushed back by the wind. Obviously, while they were gone, the clones had attacked.

“Come on,” grunted the Fairy of Technology.

Bloom and Musa positioned themselves behind their friend, ready to catch her this time, but there was no need for it. They all got out safely. The situation was assessed pretty quickly : three of the clones were out, on the five they knew about. Bloom and Musa already felt a little tired, but Tecna felt good.

“Let’s get them out,” decided Musa.

The two Fairies agreed, quickly bringing Electronio and Timmy to the doors. The latter got out with his head low.

“Timmy !” Sighed Helia in relief. “Help Flora lead them out !”

The Specialist with the blaster nodded, and made his way towards the flower Fairy as fast as he could. Suddenly, his voice was back. He started giving instructions to the students, helping them to the next point inside the woods, where they’d find Flora. Although it didn’t really matter where the students were going, as long as it was far away from Alfea.

The four Fairies turned back to the school.

“I’m going to help the Specialists with the fake Wizgiz and Griselda,” said Layla.

“Coming !” Nodded Musa.

Bloom and Tecna turned to the fake Palladium, who tried to sneak up on Mirta, the only student that had transformed. Bloom watched her hand lift herself, before she shot a ray of fire. It landed on her target.

“No hesitation !” Reminded Tecna, high in the sky. “They’re only clones !”

Mirta ran up to Bloom, to stand by her side, while eyeing the fake professor.

“You know about convergences ?”

Mirta nodded.

They looked at each other’s hand, before facing each other.

“I’ll make your fire appear from everywhere.”

Bloom nodded, before they held their hands. They focused on the fake teacher, still sitting against the wall. He didn’t seem ready to move. This made their job easier, but Bloom knew there was something amiss.

“Convergence !” They screamed, focusing their powers on the clone.

Bloom knew she only fired once, from where she stood up, but the fire seemed to come up from everywhere around the fake professor. With awe, she watched it appear and create a large bubble around the teacher, until it disappeared unnaturally. There was no smoke, or next to none. The fake teacher was no more.

“Yes !” Said Mirta, putting both of her hands on Blooms shoulders to jump in joy. Her friend smiled, happy too, but she also started to feeling tired.

“You should go now, help the other students. Tell them to transform if they can. They have to be ready.”

Mirta nodded, then ran away, leading the last bits of students out of the school. At least, there was no one else to bring outside anymore. Bloom glanced at Icy’s cage, which was still active. Tecna had helped the other team getting rid of the other professors. Once again, they were left alone.

“Layla, do you have any idea where Digit could be ?” Asked Tecna, now that she had time to land on the ground.

 _It was extremely weird to see her only standing on her toes_ , mused Bloom.

“I bet the fake Avalon took her.”

An explosion of light blinded them, before they felt themselves falling backwards.

“Well, well, well, welcome back dear Winx,” greeted the fake Faragonda, a sneer on her face. She wasted no time in attacking the Specialists, but Layla was quick to create a shield of Morphix. This let the Specialists time to stand back up, assessing their new enemy.

Bloom suddenly realized that the fake Headmistress was attacking with a wand. The clones of Wizgiz and Griselda had done the same. Only the fake Palladium hadn’t seemed to have one.

But then again, he didn’t attack.

Then she remembered the way Avalon always taught his lessons with his wand. He never got rid of it. The only time she ever saw him perform magic without it was when they went to Shadow Haunt, and he saved them all.

“Her wand !” She screamed.

The fake Faragonda immediately turned to her, and fired.

Bloom had no idea what the purple ray of magic was, but she flew away as fast as she could.

“Understood !” Yelled back Musa, flying up in the sky, clapping her hands in the direction of the clone.

If the fake Headmistress held her own in the sky, she didn’t expect Morphix to glue her to the ground. Now, her range of motion was reduced. It was, however, a price Layla had to pay. Sky quickly spotted her, panting on the ground, unprotected. Without a second thought, he ran up to her. Riven screamed something unintelligible at him before following suit, ready to cover the both of them.

The Fake Headmistress was too focused on getting rid of the glue covering her feet to attack them. Musa had moved quickly to cover them too. Bloom moved to place herself behind the clone, glancing nervously around her. The strangest thing about that situation was that the Fake Avalon had not been seen yet.

Tecna landed next to Bloom, while the two Specialists and the two Winx ran to Alfea’s gates. While Riven then went back to the few Fairies that still had to get to the forest, Sky stood protectively over his two exhausted friends.

The red head had barely any time to count the remaining students still getting out, before Stella suddenly appeared with Flora and the real Palladium, Wizgiz and Griselda. The real Faragonda would have to wait until they dealt with the clone, so as not to get confused about whom they were attacking.

The sight of the newcomers seemed to amuse the fake Headmistress.

“My dear friends,” she seethed.

The three teachers didn’t waste any time in talking, simply coming up with a convergence of their own. They didn’t need an incantation, unlike the Winx. Instead, a ball of white light hit the clone, who exploded like a bubble. As if she’d been made of water this whole time.

“Is everyone okay back there ?” Asked Brandon.

“Yes, all students should be safe. The Pixies have escaped with them, no one followed them,” said Wizgiz. “What about here ?”

“We’ve lost Digit,” admitted Tecna, landing near the group. “We suppose she’s with Avalon’s clone, the last one we have to fight.”

“A right guess,” laughed someone above their heads.

They only had time to discern golden wings before the clone fell on the ground. If Musa seismic shock had been hard, this one made every remaining window exploded, as the ground suddenly came to life for a second. Every one of them fell to the ground, even the Fairies who tried to fly and avoid this attack.

“Watch out !” Screamed a professor.

Because no one knew who was in danger, everybody moved.

The targeted group had been the Specialists. The rest of Morphix that had kept the Headmistress still had trapped them. Stella and Layla had been taken into this chaos, their legs almost completely covered.

“You bastard !” Stella cried out, obviously disgusted at what was on her legs.

Bloom felt the smallest of smiles grace her lips. Stella would never change, even in the midst of a battle.

“I have to let you know,” gloated the clone. “You made a great mistake by taking us all out.”

The Winx took off the ground to circle around him, at different altitudes. While Palladium and Griselda took care of the boys, Stella and Layla stuck to the ground, Wizgiz put himself on the other side. That way, the clone would be unable to see everyone around him. The moment he’d decide to attack one of them, the others would retaliate.

Or so Bloom hoped, because the clone seemed pretty self-confident. She wondered if she should pull on the link to call Valtor, but decided against it at once. She’d only call him if needed. She wanted to prove to herself that she didn’t need him. She was far too reliant on him, these days.

“It’s over, and you know it ! Just surrender !” Screamed Wizgiz, trying to get his attention.

The clone scoffed, and turned around to look at the little man, raising a mocking eyebrow when he saw who wanted to fight him. Wizgiz wasn’t fazed at all by this demeanour. In fact, it made him smirk back at the clone, before he clapped both of his hands together in front of him, staying still. Some of the Winx, the ones directly above him, saw his lips move, but none could understand what he had planned. However, they trusted their teacher. Thus they made way for him in the sky, in case he transformed into something really big.

“You should know that the power of every copy you took out, is now mine. I am stronger than ever !” Said the clone, watching the unperturbed Wizgiz. It slowly raised his wand, pointing it at the teacher while a cruel smile formed on his lips. “Let me show you.”

A lightning of red sparked from the tip of the wand, before hitting the ground where Wizgiz stood seconds ago.

Their professor had disappeared.

The clone laughed as smoke rose from where Wizgiz stood not so long ago, while the girls stared at the ground. It was still too dark to see anything, but they knew that trick. Without dwelling on it, Tecna tried to trap it in the same cage as she’d done for Icy. The clone seemed prepared, because he simply deflected the spell, which almost hit Bloom. Fortunately, the red head moved out of the way in time.

The clone watched the spell explode in one of the bedroom of the castle, amused.

“That isn’t the right way to honour your teacher’s life,” it smirked. It had an odd similarity with Valtor’s. “And you’re supposed to be the strongest amongst all your friends ? I’m not sure if I should be scared.”

Tecna gritted her teeth, the comment hitting her hard.

“Alright, I’ve had enough. Charmix !” Screamed Musa.

In a bright flash of light, her little bag and the pin appeared on her clothes.

“Oh, you think you’re going to get me with _that_ ?” It laughed, almost bending in two at the thought.

The other Winx simply nodded at her, and followed her example. One by one, except for Tecna, their Charmix appeared on their clothes. Even the ones stuck on the ground. Stella raised her sceptre slowly, while the clone still kept his back to her group.

The clone obviously didn’t know what this was all about. It even thought it very funny, so it took time to gloat in front of all of them.

Flora and Helia passed the doors at this moment. The latter made his way to the Andros Fairy sat on the ground, motioning for him to step closer. Flora made her way into the air to face their enemy, calling onto her own Charmix while Helia slowly stepped closer to the clone.

Flora tried to hit it with a pretty inoffensive spell, which it laughed off, before Helia’s strings caught the arm holding the wand. It made it panic for a second, buying enough time for Layla.

“Wave of Morphix !” She yelled, her spell hitting its lower body entirely. This didn’t please the clone in the slightest, when it realized a simple gesture with his wand wasn’t enough. Layla just smirked, lowering her hand. “Yeah, I think I’m going to get you with that,” she muttered.

As it focused on the pink glue around his legs, Flora landed on the ground, both of her hands touching the grass while her eyes stayed on her enemy. It could see her, thus it created a shield. The Fairy simple raised an eyebrow as vines slowly grew behind him. Bloom started firing at it as a diversion. The clone got rid of the strings holding its arm in a few seconds, before using its wand. It stayed still enough for Flora’s vines to immobilize it.

Before the plants covered its arm entirely, the clone made the wand go to its left hand, before trying to put the plants on fire. Bloom then flew towards the Specialists, using her fire to make the Morphix melt. It would take some time, but already Riven was free. He ran to the girls, positioning himself to throw his saber in the air.

Helia used his weapon at the same time to immobilize the other arm, so one of the Fairies would snatch the wand before they ended the clone once and for all.

What they didn’t expect, were for its wings to appear, shining bright in the night. With a quick snap, the clone was free from the Morphix trapping it in the air. Some was still stuck to its feet, but it payed it no mind. The clone cut the vines with a quick jerk to the left, and Helia was forced to let go if he didn’t wish to end up in the sky.

“You should just bow before me !”

Stella was finally free. She shook her head at hearing such a thing, before taking off. Riven and Sky were out too. They stayed where they were, protecting Brendon and Layla for the time remaining. Bloom got rid of the sweat accumulating on her forehead. This was a bit too much for her. She thanked her Charmix for giving her more power.

“Just shut up !” Groaned the Princess of Solaria, before using her sceptre to strike.

An explosion of light blinded the clone, forcing it to get back to the ground. It didn’t land though, just waited to be able to see again. The girls above him started joining hands.

“I’m going to create another prison, but it won’t hold,” explained Tecna.

It looked a lot weaker than the one for Icy, that still shone on its own. This time, it was possible to see inside of it. The clone wasn’t happy at all, but didn’t seem to be able to come up with a plan to get out. It couldn’t touch the electricity, and Tecna had made sure it would be too small for the clone to point its wand at anything but the sky or the ground.

Bloom, accompanied by Layla, flew up in the sky to join their friends, as the two Specialists helped Brendon get rid of the remaining Morphix. The two teachers stayed where they were, creating a magical shield to protect everyone still on the ground.

“Watch out !” Warned Tecna.

Just as she said it, the prison of electricity exploded. The girls had barely had time to get each other’s hands, prepared to make a Convergence a bit too quickly, before the fake Avalon started gesticulating.

“Is he dancing ?” Asked Musa.

Eventually, they understood there was something in his back.

“Wizgiz !” Said Flora.

The girls shared a little laugh. They almost forgot about him.

They wasted no time in grasping each other’s hands. Tecna was above all of them. They knew what was left for them to do. It took a minute for the clone to stop moving erratically, then a second more to be sure their teacher had time to escape. Out of the corners of their eyes, they saw the white mouse turn into some bird, fleeing the scene.

“Winx, convergence !”

A halo of light was created between all of them. The last thing they saw from the clone was its face raised to look at them, its eyes widening. Tecna didn’t stay where she was to see if it had disappeared or not. Instead, she played her part immediately.

She followed the halo as it hit the ground, before taking off the pendant around her neck.

She focused, putting all her energy into it, before spraying its content where the clone had been. She tried to ignore the scream as her Fairy dust hit him. It only proved her right.

This thing had been nothing but a curse.

She then flew back into the sky, unsure if her magic had been enough. The Winx flew to her side, as the rest of the people on the ground prepared themselves to fight back once more. For a moment, no one moved.

Eventually, the light and smoke disappeared. There was nothing on the ground, only burnt grass. With a sigh, the Winx slowly landed, turning back into their normal clothes.

Just as Tecna’s feet touched the ground, Digit appeared out of nowhere to hug her.

“Where were you ?” Whispered the technology Fairy, exhausted.

“He put me in a box in Faragonda’s office, but I guess it opened when he disappeared… You girls did it ?”

The Fairy nodded. She transformed back into her normal clothes, not feeling the need to spend any more magical energy. Then she lied on the grass, trying to get her breath back under control. She exchanged a look with Musa and Flora, sitting by her side, just as exhausted.

Stella was in Brendon’s arms, as always, while Layla was talking with the other Specialists about how to get all the Fairies back. It was by looking for her that Tecna realized something was terribly wrong.

“Where’s Bloom ?”


	22. Darkar's Pet

Valtor felt a slight pull through their bond. It seemed shy, almost hesitant. He was watching over the teachers and the arriving Fairies, hidden in the darkness of the woods, before _something_ poisoned Bloom. His eyes widened as the dark magic took over the other half of the Dragon Flame. It was weird, as if the balance in the world had been lost at this precise moment.

Lifting his eyes up, he saw the Fairies quickly transforming and following Faragonda’s orders. He decided to go right then, when the two professors remaining were still too busy with their students to notice his sudden disappearance.

Later, he’d realize that it was futile, as they would’ve agreed for him to go help Bloom. But back then, instinct took over. He still saw them as his enemies, especially the Headmistress. Acting on his own, behind their back, was still too natural for him. It felt safer.

He knew what had happened, or had an inkling. No doubt the Shadow Phoenix had took advantage of Bloom’s weakened state to use her. Darkar was after the Codex, that much he knew. But Valtor believed it was in the Pixie’s Village, and Bloom didn’t knew where it was. Unless Darkar planned to use her to get there, which would never happen, there was no reason to turn her into his pawn.

He appeared above Alfea, watching the Winx and their pretty boyfriends celebrate their victory. His eyes scanned the area, but Bloom was nowhere to be seen.

Shaking his head, Valtor tried to pull on the bond to find the one Fairy he was looking for. Without surprise, it didn’t tell him exactly where she was. Their link was so bad she seemed to be on another planet. He could, however, feel the dark magic in the air. Without much of a choice, he decided to follow it.

At first, he felt lost inside the dark corridors. For the first time, he had to use the bond between them. Usually, he waited for her signal. Trying to reach her felt foreign to him.

He tried to pull on their link, as if it was a rope, to find the direction to follow. Fortunately, Alfea wasn’t a maze like Cloud Tower. He kept going straight, the only way possible. The dark magic felt thicker as he grew closer to her. He had no idea what she was doing, but he didn’t like it. She wasn’t going to Faragonda’s office to retrieve one of her many items. She wasn’t going back to her room, or making her way to Darkar’s lair. He hated having people being a step ahead of himself.

The sound of an explosion caught his attention. Quickly, he made his way into a darker corridor, that seemed to lead to nothing. There was, however, a hole in the right wall, from where light seemed to be escaping. Without any hesitation, he entered.

What he saw left him breathless : books, thousands of them, all around him. What he thought had been a normal tower was actually a hidden library, with books he thought were lost forever. Why the Headmistress of Alfea had kept such dark items, he had no idea, but this was one more reason to stay.

There was detonation above him, caused by Bloom. He frowned, seeing the evil smirk on the red head’s face as she laughed off an older Pixie. The latter seemed desperate to make her stop, but still held her ground. A strange little, green animal joined the old Pixie. He started flying upwards, following Bloom as she searched around the room for something.

“Tell me where’s the Codex my Master wants, and I’ll leave you alone,” promised the red head, a cruel glint in her eyes.

“Who do you think you are ?” Replicated the Pixie.

Bloom frowned, before carelessly firing at the little being. The ball of fire missed its target, and crashed onto the books. Valtor’s mood dropped at the sight. Those were precious books, limited editions and some were even forbidden now. Even Darkar should know better than to make his puppet attack everything on sight.

The Pixie retaliated by making Bloom a lot more smaller in a snap of her fingers. Valtor flew closer, but before he could act, the red head stroke again. This time, she created a circle of fire around her adversary. The green animal panicked, going from the Pixie to the books.

“No, don’t do it !” Screamed the Pixie at her companion, slowly suffocation because of the smoke.

“Yeah, do it,” laughed the Fairy. “Unless you want to watch her burn.”

The little animal flew towards a book, the Fairy closing in on him rapidly. The green thing managed to make the book fall, but seemed to have a change of mind. He suddenly went after the book, and as it passed Valtor, he suddenly saw what they were all fighting for.

The Codex was right there, in the book. Valtor immediately let himself fall, and caught the book before the little Fairy or the animal could. He then put some distance between Bloom and himself. She simply smiled at the sight of him.

“Well hello there,” she greeted, her voice a lot more harsh than usual.

“Stop this Bloom.”

“But I can’t,” she said, her eyes narrowing but her smile staying on her lips. “You know it as much as I do.”

She was fighting against the mind control, he would give her that. Maybe Darkar wouldn’t be aware of his presence.

“I don’t want to fight you,” he said. The tables were reversed, this time. Where he was the one to smile most of the time, this time it was her turn. He suddenly understood how unnerving it must be for his enemies, and inwardly complimented himself for that.

“Oh but you’ll have to !” She said before creating a wall of fire, and pushing it onto him.

He let it go through him, ready to mock her for not remembering they shared the same power, but suddenly realized he didn’t have anything in his hand. The fire had burned the book, and the Codex was falling once again.

“They’re in here !” Explained a man outside the room, which Valtor had no time to look out for.

He was too late, as she was already flying after it, and caught it way before he could. He prepared himself to attack, but someone screaming his name prevented him.

“You can’t hurt her !” Screamed the Heir of Solaria, who had somehow found him. Behind her, a yellow ogre seemed to hesitate.

In horror, he watched as Bloom regained her full height because the spell of the Pixie had worn off. Of course, she still held the Codex.

“Bloom, what are you doing ?” Asked the Fairy of Nature.

He almost shook his head in disbelief. Couldn’t they realize something was wrong, and maybe, just maybe, they should try to attack and ask questions later ? But no, they were pure Fairies, still studying, who believed fully in the power of friendship and whatnot. They wouldn’t give up on their friends.

They would prevent him from attacking though.

“She’s under Lord Darkar’s control !” Said one of the Pixie. “Look at her eyes !”

Valtor suddenly realized that, indeed, her eyes were now golden, and snake-like. If Lord Darkar had a mark, that would be it. At least Valtor could hide his own, but the Shadow Phoenix was unable to do it. He was too obvious, which is why he’d been hiding for so long.

“Hello there, friends, how are you all doing ?”

“Bloom, leave the Codex alone,” asked Flora. “Why do you even have it ? It was supposed to stay hidden.”

“How did you even know there was a room here ?” Asked Tecna, still taking in her surroundings.

“My Master only had one more place to look into,” explained the red head with a little smirk.

“Your Master ?” Repeated Stella, disgusted.

Bloom didn’t seem to really care about the conversation. Instead, she let the palm of her hand face the sky, and Valtor understood a bit too late that she was going to give their location to Lord Darkar’s pet. He watched with widened eyes the glass of the ceiling shattering, as the ball of fire exploded outside. Darkar knew where to look now.

“Get the Codex !” He ordered.

The Winx must’ve understood that they wouldn’t get their friend back with simple words, because they immediately jumped into action. They were useless, but they tried. It was maybe a bit too obvious that they didn’t want to hurt their friend, making Bloom’s job a lot more easier. He gritted his teeth at the sight : it was kind of themselves to attack her as nicely as they could, but they seemed to have forgotten what would happen if the Codex fell into the wrong hands.

He watched the flower Fairy attack, trapping Bloom for a second before the latter burned the vines. Musa tried to attack with a sound attack, which did reach the red head, but once again it didn’t hurt her in the slightest. It only seemed to annoy her.

He decided to act, and using the fact she forgot about him, he sent her flying against the bookshelves. She had no time to dodge, and he thought he successfully knocked her out as she started falling to the ground. Her wings started moving again, before she lifted her head to look at him.

“Now I’m angry.”

The Heir of Solaria decided it was the right time to attack, and he watched as light appeared around Bloom. He frowned as Bloom created smoke, unsure of what she had planned. He didn’t expect her to use her friend’s spell to create an explosion. It sent everyone flying against the walls. Small black dots played around in front of him, before he could make out Bloom again.

Too late, however, as she was handing the Codex to the dark bat Darkar seemed to particularly like. He stood up as fast as he could, but the animal had disappeared. He started flying upwards, but the red head interrupted him by firing at him.

“Didn’t think it’d be that easy, right ?” She asked, smirking.

He didn’t answer, barely gritting his teeth in annoyance, before firing back. He was more powerful than she was usually, but the power Darkar was granting her made her difficult to take down. She was less vulnerable to the darker arts.

“Is that all you’ve got ?” She laughed.

“Bloom !” Screamed a little voice.

Valtor watched in annoyance as the Pixies of the Fairies all appeared. One stood out of the group and flew without any hesitation towards the red head. He prepared himself to protect her, but Bloom made no move to attack her.

“Well, well, Lockette, are you here to admire my work ?”

Bloom didn’t seem to attack anyone who made no move against her. She did that for him, for her friends, and now the Pixies. Valtor started to understand how much she was fighting, trying to fool Lord Darkar into believing everyone around her was useless.

“There’s only one thing I can do for you,” said the little Pixie before she kissed the cheek of the Fairy.

Valtor felt his eyes widen at how naïve this was. Then he stilled when Bloom’s eyes reverted back to blue, as her usual voice came. He almost shook his head at how candid this all was, before the red head blinked and her eyes went back to gold. The Pixie was intelligent enough to run out of the way.

He didn’t wait and hit her with a powerful wave of heat, forcing her to create a shield. He then brought it back around her, locking her up in the embrace of that warmth. It would only get hotter and hotter. Even she would eventually be affected.

“You’re starting to get on my nerves,” she admitted, her shield lowered as she fired.

He didn’t move, merely stopped the balls of fire before they reached him, and fired them back at her. She made them disappear with a click of her tongue, before realizing what he’d done. With the back of her hand, she got rid of some of the sweat that had started forming.

“You think that’s going to stop me ?”

The Winx joined his side. It was a weird sight, but he didn’t have time to dwell on it. One by one, they tried to take down their friend. They weren’t going easy on her, especially the one that got her Enchantix. Bloom was relentless, however, escaping everything they threw at her.

“You’re really pitiful !” She laughed.

The last string of patience he had for the girl disappeared.

He flew closer to her, stopping the attacks of her friends.

“I’m sorry.”

She laughed, preparing to attack with one powerful spell, but he was quicker. It was a spell he knew by heart now. He didn’t even need to think about it to activate it, but he liked to put on a show.

Just as she fired, he cast his spell. It was the only one he knew could erase Lord Darkar’s presence in her mind, even if it wouldn’t last.

The girl suddenly found herself stilling.

“Bloom ?” Asked the blonde, hope in her voice.

Her eyes were still golden, but the snake-like appearance had disappeared. She only looked at Valtor, disbelief in her eyes, before fainting. He caught her quickly, as he knew it would probably happen, and turned back to her friends.

“Is everything alright outside ?”

The girls nodded.

“Yeah we’ve got the school back. The students are getting in again, I think,” explained the ogre. Of course, he would know. He could probably hear everything going on outside.

None of them seemed at ease with him holding their friends, but he couldn’t afford them to take her. He couldn’t let them know. One look at the Princess of Andros, and he knew she was already suspecting him. Valtor had no idea how close to the truth she was, but he wouldn’t test the extent of his recent luck.

“Let’s bring her back to her room, shall we ?” He said, looking intently at the Solaria Heir for guidance.

Stella nodded and led the way.

As they flew through the corridors, they saw the students outside slowly filling the school. The professors were already working on getting the windows back together, and everyone seemed pretty relieved. Finally, the problems were solved.

“Are you OK Digit ?” Asked Tecna.

“Yep,” said the Pixie. “That clone really thought he could capture all of us.”

“I’m just glad nothing happened to you.”

Valtor rolled his eyes.

 _Fairies_ , he thought.

Eventually, they entered the familiar dormitory of the Winx Club. Slowly, he let the red head down on her bed. He watched every part of her, but couldn’t find, for the life of him, what he was looking for. He supposed it wouldn’t be a problem for now, but couldn’t let Bloom in that situation. She wouldn’t trust him again, if he didn’t warn her about something like that.

“We should stand watch,” finally said Layla. “Make sure she’s not going to turn again.”

“I don’t know why she would,” countered Musa, to his satisfaction. “Darkar doesn’t have any reason to do that anymore.”

 _Yes, leave her alone_ , he prayed. _Make my job easier._

“Let’s not take any risk.”

They all nodded at Stella. All except Valtor, of course, but he followed them out of the room. Then stood awkwardly outside, before he started to walk outside.

“Where are you going ?” Asked the Princess of Andros.

He almost smirked.

“Going to seek the debt I’m owed.”

The girls nodded, crossing their arms or looking everything but him. He simply turned around and made his way outside. The students in the corridors looked at him with curiosity, but none suspected him of being the criminal they feared. It was satisfying, to have all this attention back on him. It almost reminded him of his time as General, leading the Army of Darkness.

As soon as he was outside, the Headmistress went to him. He walked assuredly towards her, although he stayed on guard. For all he knew, she might have called the Council to trick him. Even though that’d be more Griffin’s genre.

“We need to talk.”

He nodded, letting his signature smirk grace his lips, before following the old Fairy.


	23. Valtor's Mark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is. I honestly didn't think this part of the story would take so long, but it did lmao  
> I still have to decide how I want to organize the next part of the story, where everything will get a lot more serious for our girls. Sparxshipping should finally appear... but don't take my word for it.  
> Anyway, enjoy, I hope to release next chapter on Sunday or Monday.

Bloom woke up in an empty, familiar room. With a grunt, she sat up. Physically, she was exhausted. She could only remember fighting against the fake Avalon, before blacking out. She felt the dark magic coursing through her veins before the darkness, but she didn’t wish to acknowledge what had really happened. She forced herself to believe her friends had done what was necessary.

Massaging the side of her neck, she let her eyes roam over the room. It was dark, just as they left it. She could feel Flora’s magical energy, probably to get rid of the dust that must have had accumulated over the past few weeks.

It’d been a long month, after all. They only had a few days left at school before the two weeks of holidays of March rolled in. The beginning of autumn on Magix, but Spring for Gardenia. It had been a long time since she’d seen snow, but didn’t exactly miss it. She never really saw it when she was young, and she preferred to be able to go outside under the warmth of the sun. Even if she couldn’t exactly feel the cold, thanks to her powers.

A silhouette in the dark moved, but she didn’t react. She knew he’d been there for a moment now. She could feel him, after all. She simply attempted to stand up, feeling suddenly exhausted, even though she just slept for some hours.

“What are you still doing here ? Or are we in my head ?”

That last part was mostly for herself, but she still asked him. It made the Wizard chuckle.

She liked to have him in a good mood. Him being sour was bad news, and she noticed he wasn’t exactly smiling when he moved closer to her. She wouldn’t say he was angry. It looked a bit more like worry.

“We’re in your room.”

“And you watched me sleep ? Creepy.”

She tried to imagine herself talking to Flora, but her sentence came out wrong. Her voice was shivering, and her eyes darted to the sides of the room. She liked to tell herself she was a bit more relax around Valtor, but maybe she fooled herself.

“I need to talk to you.”

She didn’t like the sound of that. Her eyes quickly went to the empty bed of her friend. It seemed Valtor had chosen his moment carefully.

“What happened ?” She asked in return.

He didn’t waste time. Fortunately she hadn’t been standing, because even as she sat down on her bed, she felt her legs ready to give up as the information sunk in. She couldn’t remember anything, not even when Lockette had apparently brought her back to her normal self. None of her friends had seen when it happened, which scared her even more. She only landing, before everything went dark.

“So how did you get me back ?” She mused, still taken aback at what she just learned. The silence from the man on the other side of the room made her come back to reality, though. From the corner of her eyes, she saw him look elsewhere. “Is something wrong ?”

“I used a spell,” he finally said. Her eyes narrowed at the lack of information.

“What kind of spell ?”

“Lord Darkar’s kind.”

Her heart missed a bit at his admission.

“What do you mean ?”

She remembered the mermaids on Andros, under his spell. He moved them around like pawns, using them to conquer the planet. She never realized he could expand his power to her. Somehow, she thought she was untouchable. Her friends too.

Her hand returned to massage her neck, then she froze.

“It’s there, isn’t it ?”

She saw him nod, the faint ray of moonlight just enough to make out his features.

“I didn’t see any other solution.”

Fireworks exploded behind him. The lights reflected in her room. She saw the cold, calculated look in his eyes, keeping her still on the side of her bed. She couldn’t read remorse, or shame. He was being honest with her. There really hadn’t been any other solution. At least, he thought so. Nor did he feel like apologizing. He seemed to be more worried about what her reaction could be, and how to avoid being the main target.

“My friends don’t know about it ?”

“I think the Andros Fairy has her suspicions.”

“Layla,” she corrected.

Bloom turned to face the wall, and sighed.

“I’m not controlling you, if it can reassure you. I merely… put my mark on you.”

“How did you know it’d work ?”

He turned to look at the windows. Bloom could now hear the music and the happy screams from the other students. Obviously, everyone was happy about what happened this night. Faragonda must’ve been extremely relieved to allow the students to party after such a frightening even.

“Because I had already done it.”

“You mean you knew Lord Darkar before…”

She let her question trail.

It was true, she knew almost nothing about him. She only read about his past in books, because he never talked about himself. She never dared to ask him anything if she didn’t have a good reason to back herself up. It was almost impossible to imagine herself asking him questions just ‘because’. They weren’t close friends, or even remotely friends. They were using each other. There was nothing more than that.

“Yes.”

“And ?”

The question escaped her, but she wanted to know. He marked her, after all, so this time she had a good excuse. Judging by how his shoulders slumped down, he too knew she was in her right for asking that question.

“It worked for her, so I supposed it would work for you too.”

He didn’t turn around, and she was glad. Her whole body had frozen, yet again, at hearing ‘her’ come out of her mouth. She never really thought about it, but maybe he had had allies in the past. One of them just happened to be female.

Except she couldn’t help the pang of pain in her chest. It wasn’t like he betrayed her or anything, but because she’d been the only one who talked to him in the past years, she always pictured him alone. Now, however, she couldn’t help but wonder if there had ever been a certain _someone_ in his life. A person he never mentioned, who had most likely left them by now, or looked like the Headmistress.

“Why… did Darkar try to attack you with her or-“

“It had been a trap,” confirmed the Wizard, unaware of her emotional turmoil. “Griffin had been captured by the Army of Light, but escaped when Lord Darkar sent his minions on Eraklyon. She was then captured by him, and he tried to use her against me. I just did what came naturally.”

“Griffin ? As in… the-“

“Headmistress of Cloud Tower,” he said as he turned around. “You didn’t know ?”

He seemed genuinely surprised, while she could only shrug to keep up appearances. She didn’t want him to know it sort of made her uneasy to know she wasn’t the only one who ever helped him. Most of all, if she was honest with herself, the idea of him and the other Headmistress being together creeped her out.

Him scoffing brought her back to the moment.

“Yeah, I guess she left that part out of the picture.”

“She left you ?”

She asked that question as innocently as she could, but Valtor didn’t seem to like it either way. His eyes narrowed on her, as his lips settled in a thin line. She almost expected him to change the subject, or to give her the coldest answer he could muster at the moment while staying polite. Eventually, the seconds ticked by, and closed his eyes.

“She _betrayed_ us,” he admitted. “We were on a simple mission but… she saw an opportunity in Faragonda, and took it. She was probably scared to take the full on wrath of my Mothers.”

“You failed the mission ?”

“I think that’s enough questions for today,” he answered, and she nodded.

To be honest, she didn’t expect him to tell her so much at once.

“I wanted you to be awake when I’d remove the mark.”

“Why ?” She frowned.

Standing up, in front of the many windows, Bloom was suddenly unable to see the expressions on his face.

“Because you’d eventually would’ve asked about how I managed to bring you back.”

“And you wouldn’t have any answer to that ?”

He nodded.

She sighed. For a second, she thought he did it for the sake of honesty, because it was the best thing to do. Instead, he did it because whatever he would’ve told them, it would’ve been easily refutable. And if she ever turned again, no one would’ve been able to bring her back. They would’ve all known he lied, thus making him untrustworthy.

She suddenly felt extremely tired.

“Should you remove it though ?”

She saw his shoulders tense.

“What ?”

She didn’t have to see his face to know his eyes had widened in surprise.

“He’s going to try again, isn’t he ? If that can keep me… and everyone else safe then…”

She didn’t like it. She already felt her neck itch. She’d give a lot to be out of this situation, to be able to get rid of this thing etched on her skin, but Darkar had taken control of her mind and body way too easily. She didn’t trust herself anymore.

“I’m not sure your friends would-“

“Who said anything about my friends ? Since when do you take their opinion into account ?”

He crossed his arms, as she slowly stood up. She was still dressed in her clothes, thankfully.

“You’re not possibly afraid of what they’d say, are you ?”

She furrowed her brows. For a few seconds, she couldn’t understand why he’d be so worried. She looked into his eyes, stepping a bit closer.

“Or are you afraid of what Faragonda might say ?”

His eyes went to the side for less than a second, but she caught it. Her blood started boiling in her veins.

“Is that it ?” She asked as she crossed the distance between them. Even though she was far smaller than he was, it didn’t matter to her. “The only thing you’re worried about is your image ? _I’m_ the one asking you to do it ! No one’s going to-“

Suddenly the anger disappeared. She stumbled backward, before he caught her by her shoulders, before lowering himself to face her.

“See ? This is what I can do with my mark.”

The side of her neck started burning, before a haze of white overtook her mind. She felt like being in the clouds, with a cool breeze playing with her hair. She didn’t need to open her eyes to see the blue sky around her, with the gentle rays of the sun touching her skin. The birds were whistling, as some water could be heard in the distance, running. The most important touch about all of this, was the smell of her mother’s cooking. Tears almost ran down in relief, as she felt every muscle in her body relax.

Nothing else mattered, as long as she stayed like that.

The reality hit her hard, as if she’d just fallen on the ground. All air left her lungs, and she found herself gripping the arms of the Wizard, desperate for more.

Two golden eyes stared back at her, shining in the dark. The pressure he put on her shoulders was a bit too much, but she couldn’t find the force to shake him off. Instead, she focused on his breath, hitting her neck, creating shivers in her body. There was something wrong with that, but she couldn’t care less.

“Will you really trust me once I take my mark off you ? I could make you do anything I wish, whenever I want, with just a _thought_. Is that what you want ?”

“Yes,” she answered immediately, still coming down from the high he gave her.

He scoffed, before letting go of her as if she burned him. Then, he shook his hand, and her emotions came swirling back. Her knees gave out, and she found herself sitting on the floor, breathless.

“If I have to, I’ll put it back on. For now, I think it’d be best you go about your daily life as usual. Darkar suspects something, he won’t try that again as long as he hasn’t figured out how you came back to your senses.”

Hot tears started pouring out of her eyes. This was too much, too soon.

She nodded, nonetheless, and waited for him to be out before letting herself cry openly. Sobs wrecked her body as she let her back hit her bed.

She was supposed to be happy. She freed Alfea. But instead, it seemed the situation was worse now. Darkar had what he wanted from Alfea, he could control her, and Valtor had just showed her how easy it would be for him to take over the entire Dimension, if he really wanted.

Which left her asking herself, why did he want her help so bad ? She wasn’t that powerless, but his intelligence would always put him one step ahead of her. As soon as they would get rid of the Ancestral Witches, what was to say he wouldn’t betray her, and try to overtake the dimension, like he did before ?

The scariest thought of them all, however, was her need for the high he gave her.

For once, in what seemed to be months, she felt good. It had been so relaxing, she felt herself craving it. She was hungry for such a feeling again. These last few days had been so stressful that she knew she would do anything to feel anything like that again.

**Author's Note:**

> So, you know, I never quite got why Flora was so shy. Like, yes, you can be shy. But honestly, it really means that you never had the chance to speak your mind, or were told not to, right ? At least that’s kinda what happened to me, and I hope I wrote it in a believable way. I mean, it could happen right ?  
> For Musa and Tecna… I mean I don’t know a thing about Tecna but I tried to give her some emotions and some character, while Musa… well, I’m mostly developing the romance as we all know what kind of relation she had with her dad before her concert in Red Fountain, and what happened to her mother. I feel like her character didn’t need more development than what I gave her.  
> Bloom… well, I had to do something, and I think it’s good. I couldn’t continue the story with Layla being against Valtor, because I think Bloom would choose her friend to a criminal, even if said criminal could help her find the truth about what happened to her parents.  
> After watching season 2 once again, I just fell in love with Stella’s relationship with Brendon. The girl literally dived into the unknown after him in the 4th or 5th episode, even if she was unable to transform and could die. She pushed herself to the death, and only stopped when he asked her to. Their romance is goals, honestly. Brendon is so sweet yet charismatic, and she’s just an adorable goofball looking for love.  
> Layla… Ah Layla. I fear she may be the hardest character to write in a Sparxshipping fiction. Her Kingdom was almost destroyed by Valtor, and I think it’s going to be hard to make her forgive him. But I’m going to try anyway.  
> Please, tell me what you thought of this first chapter ! I think I’m going to try and develop the characters a little bit more, but I’m not sure of anything.  
> Comment a lot ! I love to read what you guys thought of what I wrote, and your ideas or predictions about the story.  
> Thanks for following this story, and I’ll see you in the next chapter ^^


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